Google Appoints Preeti Lobana as Country Manager and VP for India Amid New Competition Probe

Google has announced a leadership shake-up in India, appointing Preeti Lobana as the new Country Manager and Vice President. Describing it as a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity, Lobana will now oversee Google’s sales and operations in the country, focusing on fostering the growth of India’s digital economy. A seasoned executive with over 30 years of leadership experience in technology and finance, Lobana has been with Google since 2016, previously serving as Vice President of advertising technology. Her career also includes senior roles at NatWest Group, American Express, Standard Chartered Bank, and ANZ Grindlays Bank.

Lobana, an alumna of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, steps into this role as Google faces mounting challenges in India, including increased competition in AI and digital advertising. Her predecessor, Sanjay Gupta, was elevated to President of the Asia Pacific region earlier this year, with Roma Datta Chobey serving as interim head during his absence.

In her LinkedIn announcement, Lobana highlighted her excitement about driving innovation and digital inclusion in India, particularly leveraging AI advancements like Gemini 2.0. Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai praised her appointment, emphasizing the importance of India’s unique ecosystem to the company’s global strategy.

India remains a critical market for Google, which is investing heavily in AI, regional language integration, and local partnerships. However, the tech giant is also under scrutiny as the Competition Commission of India (CCI) initiates a new probe into alleged anti-competitive practices. The investigation follows a complaint by domestic gaming platform Winzo, accusing Google of abusing its market dominance to disadvantage real-money gaming (RMG) applications.

Google’s latest leadership revamp signals its intent to strengthen its position in India while navigating both opportunities and challenges in the region