Google appoints Nitin Gajria as MD for Southeast Asia and South Asia Frontier Markets

Google has appointed Nitin Gajria as Managing Director for Southeast Asia and South Asia Frontier Markets, expanding his regional leadership responsibilities as the company continues to focus on digitalisation and artificial intelligence across emerging Asian markets. Gajria shared the development on LinkedIn , describing his return to Southeast Asia as a “full-circle moment”. He noted that he began his Google journey in Southeast Asia 12.5 years ago and is returning to the region after spending the past three years scaling Google’s publisher and creator monetisation business across Asia Pacific. “It’s amazing to see how much the ecosystem has evolved since then. With regional consumer AI interest running three times higher than the global average, what excites me most isn't just the technology - it's what people in this region will do with it,” Gajria said in his post. In the new role, Gajria will work with businesses, partners, developers and creators across Southeast Asia and South Asia’s frontier markets. The mandate comes as Google looks to build on growing adoption of digital and AI technologies across the region. Google has said that active users of its Gemini app in Southeast Asia have more than doubled over the past year, while consumer interest in AI in the region is three times the global average. Gajria has been with Google for more than 12 years and has held several regional leadership positions. He joined the company in March 2014 as Head of Brand Solutions for India and Southeast Asia, a role in which he worked across clients, agencies, sales teams and product teams, with a focus on YouTube, Google Display Network and content strategy. He subsequently served as Country Director for Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos from January 2016 to May 2019, before taking on the role of Managing Director for Sub-Saharan Africa. From July 2023, he served as Managing Director, Partnerships, Asia Pacific, where his remit included publisher and creator monetisation across the region. Before joining Google, Gajria spent more than 11 years at Procter & Gamble, working across brand and business leadership roles covering ASEAN, Australasia and India. His experience at P&G included portfolios such as Olay, SK-II, Pantene, Head & Shoulders, Ariel and Safeguard. He later served as Regional Marketing Director for Enfa A+ at Mead Johnson Nutrition, where he was responsible for the brand’s innovation pipeline as well as media, digital and CRM capabilities across Asia Pacific. Alongside his corporate roles, Gajria has also held investment and entrepreneurial positions. His LinkedIn profile lists him as Co-Founder and Investor at A54 since January 2026 and as an investor with XA Network’s Southeast Asia network since 2021. Gajria’s appointment comes amid a broader focus by technology platforms on AI adoption and digital growth across Southeast Asia and South Asia’s frontier markets. Google has been expanding its regional AI initiatives, including work aimed at supporting local businesses, improving access to learning and addressing market-specific challenges. Reflecting on his new mandate, Gajria said he was looking forward to working with Google employees, partners, developers and creators across the region as he takes on the role.