By (Reuters) -Amazon.com named Samir Kumar as its new India head on Wednesday, handing the reins to a 25-year company veteran as the e-commerce giant faces intense competition and regulatory pressures in the country.
Kumar was part of a team that launched Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) India in 2013 and will take over from Manish Tiwary on Oct. 1, in addition to his current role as head of Amazon’s consumer businesses in the Middle East, South Africa and Turkey.
Tiwary resigned last month, after an eight-year stint, to pursue an opportunity outside the company, Amazon had said, without elaborating further.
The change in leadership comes as the U.S. e-commerce giant is fast expanding in India, with plans to invest up to $26 billion by 2030, even as it faces intense regulatory scrutiny.
Last week, Reuters reported India’s antitrust body found that Amazon and its biggest local rival Flipkart violated laws by preferring select sellers, prioritising certain listings, and steeply discounting products, hurting other companies.
The regulator could potentially impose fines on the companies along with mandating them to change their business practices.