Amazon names 25-year veteran Kumar as new India head By Reuters

(Reuters) – Amazon.com (NASDAQ: ) on Wednesday named 25-year veteran Samir Kumar as its new India chief, replacing Manish Tiwary, who stepped down after an eight-year tenure last month.

Kumar, who was part of the team that launched Amazon India in 2013, will take over from Tiwary on October 1, in addition to his current role of leading Amazon’s consumer businesses in the Middle East, South Africa and Turkey.

Amazon previously said Tiwary resigned to pursue an opportunity outside the company, without elaborating.

The change in leadership comes as Amazon rapidly expands in India, where it plans to invest $26 billion by 2030, but also faces a strict regulatory environment that forces it to rule only one market.

“India remains an important priority for Amazon and I am very excited about the opportunity that lies ahead,” said Amit Agarwal, senior vice president of emerging markets at Amazon.