UK (Commonwealth Union)_ Indian-origin technology leader Karthik Narain has been appointed as the new Chief Product & Business Officer for Google Cloud, marking a significant move by the company in its race to accelerate growth in artificial intelligence and enterprise services. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Narain holds a Master’s degree in Computer Systems and Business from Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli. Before joining Google Cloud, he spent more than 25 years in technology consulting, most recently serving as Chief Technology Officer at Accenture and leading the company’s Cloud First and Data & AI practices.
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In his new role at Google Cloud, Narain will steer the company’s product and engineering teams across several key domains: cloud infrastructure, developer tools, data platforms, and Applied AI. He will also oversee the go-to-market organization and work closely with the public-sector division of Google. According to the LinkedIn announcement by Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian, “He will lead product and engineering teams across cloud, developer, data, and Applied AI, the go-to-market organization, and work closely with Google Public Sector.” Kurian also said Narain’s long track record with enterprise clients and his deep experience building technology solutions would help accelerate customers into the AI era.
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Meanwhile, Google CEO Sundar Pichai welcomed Narain, calling him a “key leader” who will partner with cloud customers as they transform their businesses with AI. Pichai noted the appointment will boost the strong growth Google Cloud is already experiencing. Reflecting on the new position, Narain said, “After more than 25 years in the tech consulting industry, I am excited to share the next chapter of my career. I am joining Google Cloud as its first Chief Product & Business Officer. This is an incredible opportunity to combine my expertise in engineering and product strategy, and my experience with enterprise systems and business processes, with Google’s world-class foundational technologies and cutting-edge AI innovation.” He added that he sees the role as a unique chance to unlock significant value for Google Cloud’s wide network of customers and partners.
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Narain’s appointment comes at a pivotal moment for Google Cloud. The company has recently launched its AI-powered business platform, Gemini Enterprise, which has received a positive customer response. Pichai referenced that launch in his remarks welcoming Narain. With Narain joining the leadership team, Google Cloud signals an enhanced focus on combining product innovation, commercial strategy, and enterprise-grade artificial intelligence. Looking back at Narain’s career, before his time at Accenture, he held senior leadership roles at companies such as HCL Technologies, where he served as Vice-President and Vertical Head for High-Tech, Software & Platforms, and Automotive from 2005 to 2015. He began his career at Infosys around 2000.
At Google Cloud, his mandate will be broad: overseeing everything from product innovation and engineering to global revenue and market execution. His role spans technical strategy and business growth, ensuring that tools built by Google match real-world enterprise needs and reach customers worldwide. In simple terms, Google Cloud is betting that Narain’s experience, helping thousands of companies modernize their systems with cloud, data, and AI, will feed directly into its own ambitions for growth and enterprise transformation. For his part, Narain emphasizes a desire to blend the rigor of enterprise systems with Google’s latest AI and foundational technology innovations; he says they have the potential to drive profound change. Furthermore, Karthik Narain arrives at Google Cloud just as the cloud market and enterprise AI solutions are more critical than ever. His appointment reflects Google’s intent to step up its game in delivering advanced, scalable cloud and AI tools to businesses around the world. With his experience and the company’s platform strength combined, the stage is set for a new growth chapter.
