JioStar CEO Digital Kiran Mani steps down to join OpenAI as APAC head in Singapore

Kiran Mani has stepped down as CEO Digital at JioStar to join OpenAI, where he will lead the company’s Asia Pacific operations as part of its global expansion strategy.

According to a Bloomberg report, Mani will join OpenAI as Managing Director for Asia-Pacific in June and relocate to Singapore, which serves as the company’s regional hub. He will report to Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon. The appointment highlights OpenAI’s growing focus on India and the broader Asia-Pacific region as it expands beyond its core markets in the US and Europe.

At JioStar, Mani led the digital business, overseeing strategy, product development, and platform operations across its streaming ecosystem. The company has not yet announced a successor for the position.

Mani brings more than two decades of experience across technology and digital ecosystems. Prior to JioStar, he spent over 13 years at Google, where he served as General Manager for Android and Google Play across Asia-Pacific and Japan. Earlier in his career, he held roles at Microsoft and IBM.

His appointment comes at a time when OpenAI is competing with global rivals such as Anthropic and Google to scale the adoption of generative AI technologies worldwide. Asia-Pacific, particularly large markets like India, is emerging as a key battleground due to its massive user base and growing enterprise demand for AI-driven solutions.

Welcoming Mani to the company, Oliver J., Managing Director, OpenAI International said, “In one of the most rewarding parts of my role, building teams and partnerships around the world, I’ve had the privilege of meeting many exceptional leaders. Kiran Mani is absolutely one of them and I can’t think of anyone better for this role.

“I’ve had the opportunity to partner with Kiran on building a first-of-its-kind collaboration with JioStar. More importantly, I’ve come to know him as both a thoughtful leader and a trusted friend. 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.

“Welcome to OpenAI, Kiran. I’m excited to partner with you to accelerate our journey in APAC.”

Mani’s appointment is expected to play a key role in shaping OpenAI’s regional strategy as the company accelerates efforts to localise its offerings, build partnerships, and expand its presence across Asia-Pacific markets.

On the academic front, Kiran Mani is a Chartered Financial Analyst, certified by the CFA Institute, and holds an MBA from ICFAI Business School Hyderabad. He has also completed certifications in leadership and business strategy, further strengthening his expertise across management, finance, and technology leadership.