Uber has been strengthening its teams all along January. From hiring ex-Googlers for its executive positions to planning a new center in Bengaluru, the company wants to obtain an upper hand in the cab industry. The ride-hailing giant has now appointed former Tata Sons exec, Madhu Kannan as its chief business officer for India. Kannan will also be handed over the responsibility of emerging South Asian markets.
On his appointment, Kannan delightfully commented,
Uber is one of the most dynamic and innovative organizations of my generation, and I look at this as a once in a lifetime opportunity to work with a group of highly talented and motivated people who are changing the face of global transportation.
Prior to joining Uber, Kannan was a close aide to Cyrus Mistry. He’s been working with Tata Sons since 2012, as a part of Group Executive Council. He resigned from his post under Tata Sons after Mistry was replaced by the board, back in October. While supporting Mistry in his fight against interim chairman Ratan Tata, Kannan was also looking for new opportunities.
Kannan has also served as CEO of Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) for several years providing his valuable insights for smooth acceleration of the stock market. Moreover, he was also nominated as a contender for the vacant Chairman’s post at the National Stock Exchange.
The company detailed Kannan’s responsibilities saying that he will help the company further grow its business in India as well as across new emerging markets in the Asia-Pacific region, through strategic partnerships and investment opportunities.
Eric Alexander, President of Business, Asia Pacific of Uber also expressed his views on the extension of his team. He said,
We’re excited to have Madhu join Uber. With his background and experience in India and Asian emerging markets, his appointment reinforces our commitment to continue to invest and grow our presence and unlock the full potential of ride-sharing in the region.
Other new members of the company include Amit Singhal, former Senior Vice President Google who now heads as Senior Vice President of Engineering for Uber along with Kevin Thompson Uber’s VP of Marketplace Engineering (a former executive at YouTube). The company certainly needs mentorship from industry experts to keep accelerating its efforts against homegrown rival Ola.
