Kiran Mani, former CEO – Digital at JioStar, has formally joined OpenAI to lead its Asia Pacific (APAC) and Japan business, marking a major leadership move for the artificial intelligence company as it expands its footprint across the region. His new assignment at the AI company had been announced over two months back. Earlier this week his tenure at JioStar formally ended.

Mani shared the news in a LinkedIn post yesterday, saying he recently started his new role at OpenAI and was drawn to the company by its sense of purpose and the people behind its mission.

Calling it the “most purposeful mission” of his career, Mani said artificial intelligence has the potential to transform the way people live, learn, create and solve problems. He added that his conversations with OpenAI’s leadership over the past few months reinforced his belief in the company’s vision and long-term impact.

Before joining OpenAI, Mani led the digital business at JioStar, where he played a key role in shaping the company’s streaming and digital growth strategy. Over the years, he has also held senior positions at Ogilvy, IBM and Google, building and scaling technology-led businesses across the Asia-Pacific region.

In his post, Mani said he was particularly impressed by the culture at OpenAI. Despite the pace at which the company is growing, he noted that the kindness and openness of its people stood out during his interactions with the team.

He also highlighted a shared belief across the organisation that as AI becomes more powerful, it must also become more accessible, affordable and useful for people everywhere.

Mani thanked several OpenAI leaders, including CEO Sam Altman, for helping him understand not only the company’s technology and ambitions but also its culture and values.