Google Cloud Appoints Karthik Narain as Chief Product and Business Officer to Drive AI and Enterprise Growth

Google Cloud has named Karthik Narain as its new Chief Product and Business Officer, underscoring the company’s ongoing focus on strengthening its leadership in artificial intelligence and enterprise technology. The announcement was made by Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian via LinkedIn.

Kurian wrote:
“Today we welcome Karthik Narain to Google Cloud as Chief Product & Business Officer. He will lead product and engineering teams across cloud, developer, data and Applied AI, the go-to-market organisation, and work closely with Google Public Sector. Karthik’s proven track record with clients, along with his unparalleled depth of experience in developing enterprise technology solutions, will accelerate our customers’ journey into the AI era. Welcome to the team, Karthik!”

Narain’s Response

Sharing his excitement, Narain wrote:
“After more than 25 years in the tech consulting industry, I am excited to share the next chapter of my career – I am joining @GoogleCloud 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 to drive profound digital transformation. I can’t wait to get started!”

Sundar Pichai Congratulates Narain

Google CEO Sundar Pichai also welcomed Narain, highlighting his leadership role in shaping Google Cloud’s growth:
“I’m excited that Karthik Narain is joining Google Cloud as its Chief Product and Business Officer, a key leader on Thomas Kurian’s exceptional team. Karthik will partner closely with our Cloud customers as they transform their businesses with AI. In his new role, he will help accelerate the strong growth we are already seeing in Google Cloud. Just over a week ago, we announced Gemini Enterprise, which has had a really positive response. Much more to come, welcome Karthik!”

Background on Karthik Narain

Before joining Google, Narain was Chief Technology Officer at Accenture and previously served as Group Executive – Technology at the company. From 2005 to 2015, he was Vice President and Vertical Head for High Tech, Software & Platforms, and Automotive at HCLTech.

Narain holds a Master’s degree in Computer Systems and Business from Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli.

This appointment positions Narain at the forefront of Google Cloud’s AI and enterprise strategy, leading teams across cloud, data, Applied AI, and go-to-market operations, while driving digital transformation for clients worldwide.