OpenAI Appoints Former Uber India President Prabhjeet Singh as Managing Director for India

Prabhjeet Singh: OpenAI has officially announced that Prabhjeet Singh, the outgoing President of Uber India and South Asia, will join the company in September 2026 as its Managing Director for India. As the most senior leader for OpenAI in the country, Singh will report to Kiran Mani, who was appointed as OpenAI’s Managing Director for the Asia-Pacific region earlier this year.

Mandate and Responsibilities:
In his new role, Prabhjeet Singh will spearhead OpenAI’s operations and strategic growth across India, positioning himself as the company’s most senior leader in the country. His primary mandate involves driving widespread adoption of AI tools among consumers, enterprises, startups, academic institutions, and government bodies. Beyond fostering direct growth, Singh will focus on cultivating strategic partnerships to strengthen India’s broader AI ecosystem. Furthermore, he will oversee crucial regulatory engagements, ensuring OpenAI maintains positive interactions with policy and government stakeholders while maintaining operational excellence to manage the company’s performance and expansion within this critical global market.

A Decade of Leadership at Uber:
Singh’s appointment marks the end of a highly successful 11-year tenure at Uber. Joining the ride-hailing giant in 2015 as General Manager and Head of Strategy, he was elevated to President of India and South Asia in 2020. Under his leadership, Uber significantly deepened its market penetration by expanding into Tier-II cities and integrating diverse mobility services such as Uber Moto, Uber Auto, and metro ticket bookings via the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).

“It wasn’t a decision to leave Uber as much as it was a decision to run toward something I couldn’t ignore,” Singh remarked regarding his move into the frontier technology space. An alumnus of IIT Kharagpur and IIM Ahmedabad, Singh’s transition is viewed as a major indicator of OpenAI’s intensified focus on the Indian market, which is rapidly emerging as a hub for generative AI innovation and adoption.

Uber’s Path Forward:
While Uber has not yet named a successor, the company expressed gratitude for Singh’s contributions. An Uber spokesperson reiterated the firm’s long-term commitment to the Indian market, stating, “The strength of our business today reflects the incredible team and foundation built over the years… we remain deeply committed to our next phase of growth in India.”

As competition in the mobility sector continues to stiffen with the rise of domestic and cooperative platforms, Uber is expected to outline its future leadership and transition plans in the coming weeks.

source:  business-standard.com