Source: timesnownews.com | Originally reported June 2020
Google Cloud Strengthens India Leadership Team
Google Cloud has appointed Anil Valluri, a veteran technology executive with deep experience in the Indian market, as Senior Director for Google Cloud India. Valluri joins from NetApp, where he served as President of India and SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) operations, a role in which he led the cloud data services company’s regional business across banking, telecommunications, public sector, and manufacturing verticals.
Who Is Anil Valluri?
Valluri brings a multi-decade track record of leading large technology organizations in India. Before NetApp, he served as Vice President and Managing Director for Sun Microsystems in India. He also spent time as Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Artiman Ventures, a Bay Area-based venture capital firm focused on white-space investments — opportunities in markets not yet addressed by existing products or companies.
Throughout his career, Valluri has been involved in major technology transitions for enterprise customers in India, particularly in regulated and capital-intensive sectors such as financial services, telecom, and manufacturing.
His Role at Google Cloud India
In his new position, Valluri will focus on three priorities:
- Deepening customer engagement — working closely with enterprises already using Google Cloud and bringing new organizations onto the platform.
- Expanding strategic partnerships — growing the ecosystem of system integrators, ISVs, and technology partners that deliver Google Cloud solutions in India.
- Accelerating data-led innovation — helping Indian businesses leverage Google Cloud’s data analytics, AI, and machine learning capabilities to drive competitive advantage.
Karan Bajwa, Managing Director of Google Cloud India, commented on the appointment: “Valluri has led some of the biggest technology MNCs in India and his experience will be invaluable as we continue our charter to help companies solve their most complex business and technology challenges.”
Valluri himself noted the broader opportunity: “Cloud is the next big transition in the technology industry and Google has been making major strides in this space. I’m excited for this new opportunity to help businesses of all sizes in India succeed in this rapidly digitizing economy.”
Google Cloud’s Growing India Footprint
The appointment comes at a period of significant investment by Google Cloud in the Indian market. As of early 2020, Google Cloud had announced plans to open a new cloud region in Delhi, which would complement its existing Mumbai region — launched in 2017. A second Indian cloud region increases redundancy options for customers, reduces latency for northern and central India workloads, and satisfies data residency requirements for regulated industries.
Google Cloud’s existing customer base in India at the time of this announcement spanned multiple industries and included organizations such as Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, IndiaMart, Hero MotoCorp, ICICI Prudential, L&T Finance, LIC HFL, Manipal Hospitals, OYO Hotels and Homes, Truecaller, and Wipro, among others.
Why This Hire Matters for Enterprise Cloud Adoption in India
Hiring an executive with Valluri’s profile signals Google Cloud’s intent to compete seriously for large enterprise and public sector contracts in India — segments where NetApp has historically had a strong footprint. His background in SAARC operations also suggests Google Cloud may be looking to grow its presence beyond India’s borders into neighboring markets.
For DevOps and cloud engineering teams evaluating Google Cloud Platform (GCP) as a strategic vendor, the expansion of Google’s regional infrastructure and local leadership team is a relevant signal. A dedicated Delhi region and senior regional leadership typically correlate with improved local support availability, faster escalation paths, and more regionally tailored professional services engagements.