OpenAI taps JioStar CEO Kiran Mani to lead Asia Pacific operations

Former JioStar executive to drive regional growth as OpenAI expands global footprint and deepens presence across key Asia-Pacific markets

OpenAI has appointed Kiran Mani as managing director of the company’s Asia-Pacific region. Mani, currently chief executive officer of JioStar’s digital division, will move to Singapore and report to Jason Kwon, OpenAI’s chief strategy officer, sources told Business Standard.

 

Mani, who has also served as managing director of Google’s Android and Google Play for the Asia-Pacific region, has previously held various roles at Microsoft and IBM, according to sources.

 

His appointment as managing director for OpenAI’s Asia-Pacific operations comes as the company expands its international presence beyond the United States. Over the last two years, OpenAI has opened regional offices in Tokyo, Singapore, Australia, Korea, and India.

 

 

“Kiran brings a rare combination of product depth and business leadership across APAC, exactly what we need as we scale to serve the next billion users,” Oliver Jay, managing director, OpenAI International, said in a post on LinkedIn.

 

In India, which is the second-largest market for the company, OpenAI has continued to strengthen its leadership.

 

In August last year, the company appointed Raghav Gupta as head of education initiatives for India and Asia-Pacific, and in October 2025, elevated Pragya Mishra to head of strategy and global affairs in India. Mishra, OpenAI’s first hire in India, previously led public policy and partnerships for the company in India.