New Delhi: Amazon India head and country manager Manish Tiwary has resigned after an eight-year stint, the e-commerce giant confirmed Tuesday.
Tiwary will continue with Amazon until October to help ensure a smooth transition.
The top-level exit comes at a time when the US e-commerce giant is facing rising competitive intensity in India from players such as Flipkart and SoftBank-backed Meesho, as well as the onslaught of firms like Blinkit, Swiggy’s Instamart and Zepto that are making aggressive inroads into the market as busy consumers opt for the convenience of instant delivery of grocery and many other household items.
In a statement Tuesday, Amazon India said: “Manish Tiwary, Country Manager for Amazon India, has decided to pursue an opportunity outside of the company.
Manish’s leadership over the last eight years has been instrumental in delivering for customers and sellers, making Amazon.in the preferred marketplace in India.” Tiwary had joined Amazon in 2016.
The company further said that Amit Agarwal, senior Vice President India and Emerging Markets, will remain closely involved with the Amazon.in team.
India is an important priority for the company, Amazon emphasised.
“We are excited by the momentum and business results we have already achieved, and we are even more optimistic about the significant opportunities ahead to innovate on behalf of our customers and digitally transform lives and livelihoods,” the statement said.
The company added: “Amit Agarwal, SVP India and Emerging Markets, will remain closely involved with the Amazon.in team, guiding its strong bench of leaders to deliver on this opportunity”.
Last year, Amazon had talked of plans to invest USD 15 billion more in India, taking its total investment in the country to USD 26 billion.
After meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the US in 2023, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy had said: “I had a very good and productive conversation with Prime Minister Modi. I think we share a number of goals. Amazon is one of the biggest investors in India. We have invested USD 11 billion till date and intend to invest another USD 15 billion, which will bring the total to USD 26 billion. So we are very much looking forward to future of partnering.”
In a business update shared by the company in August 2023, Amazon had said it had cumulatively digitised over 62 lakh (6.2 million) micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), enabled nearly USD 8 billion in cumulative e-commerce exports and created more than 13 lakh (1.3 million) direct and indirect jobs in India up until then.
Amazon had pledged to digitise 1 crore (10 million) MSMEs, enable USD 20 billion in cumulative e-commerce exports and create 20 lakh (2 million) jobs in India by 2025. Amazon is well on track to fulfil these pledges, the company had said in its update on August 10, 2023.
PTI