Google, the global tech giant, is undergoing a significant restructuring of its Government Affairs and Public Policy (GAPP) team in India.
India has always been a strategically important market for Google and YouTube.
With over a billion users, India represents Google’s largest market in terms of user base for its products, including Android, YouTube, and Google Search.
The country plays an increasing role in shaping the future of technology for the world, particularly in the area of artificial intelligence (AI).
Leadership Changes and New Roles
As part of the restructuring, Google is creating a new Vice President-level role to lead the company’s government affairs and public policy team in India.
This executive will report directly to Wilson White, Google’s Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy, and will oversee the entire function in India.
All team members in India’s GAPP team will now report to the newly appointed leader, ensuring a cohesive “One Google” approach to government engagement.
The restructuring will also result in the elimination of a few roles while opening new positions to increase capacity and support for the company’s Cloud and YouTube initiatives.
Google is hiring executives at director-level positions along with public policy professionals to provide research, analytical support, and coordinate centrally on key policy initiatives, such as AI, competition, privacy, and security.
Focus on AI and Digital Transformation; Recent Departures at Google
Google’s restructuring is driven by India’s increasing focus on AI, cybersecurity, and digital transformation.
The rise of AI and its potential to transform key sectors of the Indian economy has made it clear that Google needs to elevate its GAPP capabilities to match this dynamic landscape.
Google’s investments in AI infrastructure, research, and talent in India, as well as its strategic collaborations with state governments and new campus facilities, all demonstrate the company’s long-term commitment to India.
The restructuring comes on the heels of the exit of Sreenivasa Reddy, Google’s former public policy head in India, after a short stint of about 16 months.
Sreenivasa’s departure marks a significant change for Google India, where the tech giant faces a series of antitrust challenges.
Iarla Flynn will continue to serve as the interim lead of the function until a permanent appointment is made.
Antitrust Challenges at Google and Regulatory Landscape
Google is currently fighting antitrust challenges against the business practices of its businesses such as Android and Play Store in India.
The company is also facing antitrust probes from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for alleged abuse of dominance in its other businesses, including the smart television market and news aggregation.
In November 2024, the CCI launched a new investigation into Google for alleged antitrust violations following a complaint by real-money gaming firm WinZO.
Google’s restructuring of its GAPP team in India underscores the company’s commitment to being a partner in India’s digital transformation journey.
The tech giant’s investments in AI, strategic collaborations, and new campus facilities highlight its dedication to supporting India’s vision of having indigenous foundational models.
Google’s global head of government affairs and public policy, Karan Bhatia, emphasized India’s potential to lead in AI due to local talent and language diversity.
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