Prabhjeet Singh, Uber India's former President, will lead OpenAI's India operations starting September. This lands him directly in the driver's seat of OpenAI’s critical India push, especially as competition heats up in the local AI space. For enterprise customers, Singh's extensive consulting and operational background signals a serious play for market share.
How We Got Here
Uber appointed Singh as India & South Asia President in June 2020, after he joined the company in 2015. His exit follows Uber’s ₹3,000 crore ($330 Mn) investment into its Indian arm earlier this year, amidst mounting losses and intense competition.
The Numbers
- Singh will report to Kiran Mani, OpenAI's Asia Pacific MD.
- His mandate includes overseeing consumer growth, enterprise adoption, strategic partnerships, and regulatory engagement.
- Before Uber, Singh spent nearly a decade at McKinsey and worked at Lehman Brothers pre-bankruptcy.
- Uber India shifted its business model from commissions to subscriptions recently, following market share gains by Rapido.
- Uber's global parent also announced its first India data centre partnership with Adani Group, set to go live later this year.
What Happens Next
🇮🇳 Why This Matters for India
For AI-first startups in Bengaluru and Hyderabad, Singh’s appointment means a more direct channel to OpenAI’s foundational models and potential partnership opportunities.
The Take
Singh's move is a clear win for OpenAI's B2B ambitions in India, leveraging his C-suite connections forged over years at McKinsey and Uber. Expect more targeted enterprise offerings and government engagements to surface before Diwali.
Source:
Inc42 ↗