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Amazon faucets long-time exec to guide India enterprise as competitors intensifies | TechCrunch

Amazon’s India chief resigns amid intensifying competition


Amazon has named long-time govt Samir Kumar as the brand new head of its India shopper enterprise, a month after its home enterprise’ head resigned amid intensifying competitors in the important thing market.

Kumar, who has been with the e-commerce big for 25 years, will turn into Nation Supervisor for India, the corporate mentioned.

This function could be along with Kumar’s present tasks overseeing Amazon’s shopper operations within the Center East, South Africa and Turkey, the corporate mentioned.

The management transition was introduced by Amit Agarwal, Amazon’s senior vice chairman for rising markets, in an e-mail to workers. The transfer follows the sudden exit of Manish Tiwary, its earlier head of Amazon’s India shopper enterprise, final month.

“India stays an vital precedence for Amazon, and I’m tremendous excited concerning the alternative forward as we proceed to remodel lives and livelihoods,” mentioned Agarwal in a press release.

Regardless of investing over $7 billion in India, Amazon is going through challenges in smaller cities and cities, the place native opponents Flipkart (owned by Walmart) and Meesho (backed by SoftBank) have gained stronger market positions.

Meesho has overtaken Amazon when it comes to month-to-month energetic customers on cellular apps, in response to Morgan Stanley. Financial institution of America analysts report that Flipkart boasts over 50 million every day energetic customers on its cellular apps in India, whereas Amazon has fewer than 40 million.

In city India, Amazon is going through rising competitors from quick-commerce corporations similar to BlinkIt, Swiggy, and Zepto, which supply deliveries inside 10 minutes.

Flipkart just lately launched its personal fast supply service in Bengaluru. The corporate additionally began testing four-hour deliveries on Myntra, the nation’s high on-line attire and vogue platform.

Amazon has not launched fast commerce choices in India thus far.