OpenAI has appointed Kiran Mani as Managing Director for Asia Pacific and Japan, marking a strategic move to deepen its leadership presence in one of the world’s fastest-growing artificial intelligence markets. The appointment underscores the company’s focus on accelerating enterprise adoption and ecosystem expansion across the region.
Expanding leadership across APAC and Japan
In his new role, Mani will oversee OpenAI’s business operations, regional growth strategy, strategic partnerships, and ecosystem development across Asia Pacific and Japan. The company, known for its flagship product ChatGPT, is scaling its efforts to drive adoption of generative AI across enterprises, developers, governments, and consumers.
Focus on enterprise and ecosystem growth
OpenAI continues to expand its global footprint as demand for generative AI rises across sectors including software development, education, healthcare, financial services, customer experience, and enterprise productivity. The company aims to strengthen localized AI ecosystems while supporting broader digital transformation initiatives in the region.
“Most purposeful mission I have signed up for”
Mani announced his appointment through a LinkedIn post, describing the move as “the most purposeful mission I have ever signed up for.” He emphasized that artificial intelligence has the potential to transform how people live, learn, create, and solve complex problems.
He also highlighted a shared conviction he encountered during conversations at OpenAI: that as AI becomes more capable, it must also become more accessible, affordable, and useful for everyone. Mani noted that this principle aligns closely with his experience scaling technology businesses across Asia Pacific.
Leadership experience across global tech companies
Mani brings extensive experience in technology, media, and digital platforms. Prior to joining OpenAI, he served as Chief Executive Officer of JioStar, where he led the merger of Viacom18 and Star India, building one of India’s largest media and entertainment platforms. He also oversaw digital properties including JioHotstar and Cricinfo, focusing on platform growth and digital engagement.
Earlier, Mani spent more than 13 years at Google in senior leadership roles across Asia Pacific and Japan, including General Manager for Android and Google Play. His work focused on ecosystem expansion, developer partnerships, and platform adoption across the region. He has also held roles at IBM and Ogilvy, building expertise in enterprise strategy and digital transformation.
Strengthening AI leadership in a fast-growing region
Industry observers see the appointment as part of a broader push by global AI companies to strengthen regional leadership in Asia Pacific. The region is witnessing rapid growth in AI adoption, driven by enterprise investment in generative AI, automation, cloud infrastructure, and AI-powered solutions.
With Mani at the helm for Asia Pacific and Japan, OpenAI is expected to deepen engagement with businesses, developers, and policymakers as competition intensifies in the global artificial intelligence landscape.
𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐮𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐣𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 WhatsApp Channel now! 👈📲
𝑭𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝑶𝒖𝒓 𝑺𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝑴𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒂 𝑷𝒂𝒈𝒆𝐬 👉 Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram