Amazon Appoints Samir Kumar as India Operations Head
Amazon has appointed Samir Kumar as the new Country Manager for India, following the sudden departure of Manish Tiwary. Kumar, who has been with Amazon since 1999, will officially take on his new role starting October 1, as announced by the company.
Kumar, a veteran of Amazon with extensive experience across various markets, will oversee the company's consumer business in India. This role marks an expansion of his responsibilities, as he will continue to manage Amazon’s consumer operations in the Middle East, South Africa, and Turkey.
Manish Tiwary, who has led Amazon India since July 2020, resigned on August 6 after reported disagreements with Amit Agarwal, Amazon's Senior Vice President for Emerging Markets. Agarwal praised Tiwary's contributions, noting his role in establishing Amazon.in as a premier online shopping destination for Indians.
The leadership transition will introduce a dual management structure within Amazon India. Kumar will oversee the existing leadership team, including Saurabh Srivastava (Categories), Harsh Goyal (Everyday Essentials), Amit Nanda (Marketplace), and Aastha Jain (Growth Initiatives). Kishore Thota (Emerging Markets Shopping Experience) will now report directly to Amit Agarwal.
Agarwal emphasized the strategic importance of India to Amazon's global operations and expressed confidence in Kumar’s ability to drive future growth. "With Samir's extensive experience and our strong local leadership, I am optimistic about our continued success and our ability to deliver for customers and the business in India", Agarwal stated.
Kumar was also instrumental in the launch of Amazon.in in 2013, underscoring his deep-rooted connection to Amazon’s growth in the region.
