Google has named Preeti Lobana as the new leader of its operations in India. This is an important role that had been unfilled since Sanjay Gupta was promoted to president for the Asia-Pacific region in July.
Preeti Lobana previously held the position of vice president for advertising technology at Google and has been with the company since 2016. She is stepping into this new role at a time when Google is focusing heavily on promoting its artificial intelligence (AI) products in India. This push comes as competition in the digital market is increasing.
India is a crucial market for Google. The company has invested billions of dollars to help connect hundreds of millions of people in India to the internet and to assist local businesses in going digital. In 2020, Google announced a commitment to invest another $10 billion in India to further these efforts.
However, Google is also facing significant challenges in India. The country has been scrutinizing the company more closely, particularly regarding its business practices. In 2022, India fined Google $162 million for engaging in anti-competitive practices related to its Android operating system. Shortly after that, the Indian government imposed another fine of $113 million, as it found that Google had misused its dominant position in the Google Play Store, which is used by over 95% of smartphones in India.
Read Also: Snapchat Launches Single Monetization Plan For Creators
In March of this year, the Indian antitrust authority opened a new investigation into Google, claiming that the company’s in-app billing policies were unfair and discriminatory towards users.
Roma Datta Chobey, who has been acting as the interim leader during this transition, will go back to managing Google’s digital business unit.
Before her time at Google, Preeti Lobana worked in the banking sector, holding various positions at companies like NatWest, American Express, and Standard Chartered.
In a post on LinkedIn, Lobana expressed her excitement about her new role, saying, “This is a once-in-a-lifetime moment to shape the future with AI, unlocking unprecedented opportunities for businesses to boost productivity, solve critical challenges, and create innovative solutions.”
