From steering Uber’s ride-hailing business across India and South Asia to powering OpenAI’s big, bold bets in one of the fastest-growing AI markets, Prabhjeet Singh is stepping into one of the most closely-watched leadership roles in India's artificial intelligence ecosystem.
Sam Altman-led OpenAI on Friday named Singh as its Managing Director for India, making him the company's top executive in the country as it deepens investments and doubles down on the India gameplan.
Singh will be OpenAI's “most senior leader” in India, with responsibility for performance across consumer growth, enterprise adoption and partnerships, regulatory engagement, and operations, the company said.
His focus will include building partnerships and supporting India's wider AI ecosystem, while helping more consumers, businesses, institutions and government bodies benefit from AI, as per OpenAI. He will report to Kiran Mani, Managing Director for Asia Pacific, and is slated to join OpenAI in September.
Singh’s appointment comes as OpenAI moves its India strategy to the top gear through partnerships with enterprises and developers, while strengthening engagement with policymakers. The company opened its first office in New Delhi in November 2025.
Altman, himself, has repeatedly described India as one of OpenAI's key markets and has praised the country's rapid AI uptake and commitment to investing across the tech stack.
One of the most prominent faces in the global digital industry, Altman, had recently also signalled a major vote of confidence in India during the AI Summit in February this year when he lauded the speed of tech adoption in the country.
“What's happening in India with AI is really quite amazing,” Altman had said. He praised India's current “conviction” to invest across the entire AI stack, and indicated that India's tech ecosystem is on the verge of a massive, AI-driven entrepreneurial explosion.
He drove Uber’s India growth for over a decade
Singh joins OpenAI after an 11-year stint at Uber, the last six years as President for India and South Asia at the ride-hailing platform. He led the company’s mobility business across India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, steering its expansion in one of the world’s fastest-growing ride-hailing markets.
Singh joined Uber in August 2015, rose through the ranks and was appointed President for India and South Asia in 2020.
On Friday, Uber confirmed Singh's departure, saying he was leaving for another leadership opportunity. The company thanked him for his decade-long contribution and said it remained committed to its next phase of growth in India.
Education and early career
An alumnus of IIT Kharagpur and IIM Ahmedabad, Singh joined Uber from McKinsey & Company, where he was an Associate Partner. He was honoured with IIM Ahmedabad’s Young Alumni Achiever’s Award in 2022 for his outstanding contributions to corporate leadership.
Why his appointment matters
Singh’s move comes at a time when global AI companies are stepping up investments in India, drawn by the country's large developer base, rapidly growing user adoption and rising enterprise demand for artificial intelligence. Experts believe that Singh's experience in building and scaling technology businesses can play a key role in shaping OpenAI's next chapter of growth in this buzzing market.
Also read: Oracle confirms 21,000 layoffs, signals more AI-driven job cuts
Follow us
