Kiran Mani Joins ChatGPT-maker OpenAI to Lead APAC Operations
OpenAI has appointed Kiran Mani, the CEO of Indian streaming service JioStar, to oversee its operations in the Asia-Pacific region, as the firm speeds up its growth in high-potential markets.
Mani will take on the role of managing director for the region starting in June and will operate from OpenAI’s Singapore office, reporting to chief strategy officer Jason Kwon, according to reports.
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The decision arises as OpenAI strengthens its rivalry with competitors like Anthropic and Google in expanding their presence in Asia, with India standing out as a crucial strategic market due to its extensive and swiftly digitizing user population.
JioStar, a collaboration between Reliance Industries and Walt Disney, runs the JioHotstar streaming service, which has amassed a subscriber count exceeding 300 million by capitalizing on India's deep love for cricket, entertainment shows, and local content.
OpenAI has consistently been expanding its footprint in India. In 2024, the organization brought on board its inaugural employee in the country to head governmental relations and has since grown its workforce. Earlier this year, it additionally revealed a collaboration with the Tata Group to enhance artificial intelligence capabilities, including data center infrastructure.
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Mani has more than twenty years of expertise in technology and digital environments. He spent over 13 years at Google, serving as the general manager for Android and Google Play in the Asia-Pacific and Japan regions. He has also held positions at Microsoft and IBM during his career.
His appointment indicates OpenAI’s aim to expand its presence in the region and enhance its leadership in markets poised to propel the next stage of global AI adoption.
Independently, OpenAI has been enhancing its advertising leadership while developing monetisation features for its consumer offerings.
The firm has recently appointed David Dugan, ex-Vice President of Global Clients and Agencies at Meta, as Vice President and Head of Global Ads Solutions. Dugan highlighted that ChatGPT, utilized by more than 900 million users each week, offers a substantial chance to reconsider how advertising can blend into user workflows.
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In a note, he pointed out that while users depend on ChatGPT for tasks ranging from simple activities to intricate decision-making, there exists an opportunity for relevant, targeted offers to improve the experience instead of interrupting it.
He mentioned that OpenAI’s strategy for advertising will emphasize user trust and a streamlined interface, with initial efforts directed at ad solutions within the ChatGPT user experience, which is currently undergoing alpha testing.
The combined effort — enhancing regional leadership through Mani’s appointment and creating an ads ecosystem with Dugan — indicates OpenAI’s wider plan to increase both usage and revenue as competition in the global AI market grows.