US tech major Microsoft has announced significant top-level restructuring at its India division. Irina Ghose, previously the COO, has been promoted to the role of managing director of India, replacing Sashi Sreedharan who has moved into a bigger role. Navtez Bal, former executive director of public sector, will take over as the new COO. Additionally, Venkat Krishnan, who previously headed partnerships, has been promoted to the role of executive director of public sector business. The changes have come into effect from July 1, the start of Microsoft’s financial year.
Competition in the Indian market has been heating up, with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Google Cloud giving Microsoft tough competition in the enterprise cloud sector. With the pandemic driving increased cloud and digital spending among small and medium-sized businesses, India presents a strong growth opportunity for cloud providers.
Microsoft India President Anant Maheshwari recently stated that the company is accelerating its footprint in India and continues to see significant traction for its products in sectors such as banking, financial services, and emerging companies. The company has also started integrating generative AI solutions for its clients in India, such as ChatGPT, and is witnessing demand across industries like BFSI (banking, financial services, and insurance) and healthcare.
Irina Ghose, a Microsoft veteran of over two decades, has held various strategy and sales leadership roles across enterprise, solution sales, partner solutions, and education segments. In her previous role as leader of cloud solutions in India, she focused on cloud transformation initiatives. Navtez Bal, who takes over as the new COO, previously worked as the executive director for public sector business, driving digital transformation projects for central ministries, state governments, public sector units, and educational institutions. Venkat Krishnan, the new executive director of public sector business, was previously the executive director of global partner solutions at Microsoft.
The top-level restructuring comes as Microsoft faces steep competition in India’s cloud market. Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud are ramping up their efforts to capture a larger share of the Indian market as more businesses embrace digital transformation and cloud services.
In conclusion, Microsoft India’s recent top-level restructuring, including the promotion of Irina Ghose as managing director and changes in the roles of Navtez Bal and Venkat Krishnan, reflects the company’s focus on strengthening its position in India amidst fierce competition from AWS and Google Cloud.
