Google India has appointed Siddharth Shekhar as Director, Large Customer Sales, expanding his mandate to lead the Government, BFSI, Education and Auto sectors. Formerly Industry Head for Technology, Media, Entertainment and Telecom, Shekhar will drive partnerships leveraging Google’s AI and digital capabilities.
Google India has announced the elevation of Siddharth Shekhar to Director, Large Customer Sales (LCS), a move that significantly expands his leadership mandate at a time when the company is deepening its engagement with some of India’s most critical economic sectors. In his new role, Shekhar will oversee Google’s relationships and growth strategy across Government & Public Sector, Banking, Financial Services and Insurance (BFSI), Education, and the Automotive sector—areas that together form the backbone of the Indian economy and are at the centre of the country’s digital transformation journey.
Shekhar’s appointment comes amid a period of rapid change for both Google and its enterprise partners in India. As artificial intelligence, cloud computing, data-driven decision-making, and digital platforms increasingly shape how institutions operate and serve citizens and consumers, Google is positioning itself as a long-term partner to organisations navigating this shift. By entrusting Shekhar with a broader and more complex portfolio, the company signals a sharper focus on building deep, sector-specific relationships that go beyond advertising into technology, platforms, and solutions with measurable business and societal impact.
Prior to this elevation, Shekhar led Google India as Industry Head for Technology, Media, Entertainment and Telecom (TMET), a role in which he worked closely with some of the country’s most influential digital-first and legacy organisations. During his tenure, he was involved in helping media companies accelerate digital monetisation, supporting telecom players as data consumption surged, and working with technology firms adapting to an increasingly competitive and platform-driven ecosystem. His experience across these fast-evolving sectors is seen as a strong foundation for his expanded responsibilities.
Announcing the move in a note, Shekhar underscored both the scale of the opportunity and the sense of urgency that defines his new role. He described his expanded mandate as a chance to work with sectors that are fundamental to India’s growth story and institutional resilience. What excites him most, he noted, is the timing—particularly in light of rapid advancements in Google’s artificial intelligence capabilities. According to Shekhar, these developments create a unique opportunity to partner with industry leaders to tackle complex problems and drive real, measurable growth. His stated focus will be on helping partners leverage Google’s tools to transform their businesses in ways that are practical, impactful, and aligned with long-term goals.
The sectors now under Shekhar’s leadership reflect both scale and complexity. Government and public sector institutions in India are increasingly adopting digital platforms to improve service delivery, transparency, and efficiency, from citizen-facing applications to backend data and analytics systems. BFSI organisations are grappling with challenges ranging from financial inclusion and cybersecurity to customer experience and regulatory compliance, all while competing with agile fintech players. The education sector is undergoing a structural shift as digital learning, hybrid models, and skills-focused platforms reshape how knowledge is delivered and consumed. Meanwhile, the automotive industry is at an inflection point, driven by electric mobility, connected vehicles, evolving consumer expectations, and the integration of software and data into traditional manufacturing.
For Google, these sectors represent not just large customers, but long-term partners whose needs extend across advertising, cloud services, AI, data analytics, and productivity tools. Shekhar’s role as Director, LCS, places him at the intersection of these conversations, responsible for aligning Google’s offerings with sector-specific priorities while ensuring that partnerships translate into tangible outcomes.
Shekhar’s career trajectory reflects a blend of consulting, media, consumer business, and technology experience—an eclectic mix that has shaped his approach to leadership and problem-solving. He began his professional journey as a programme manager at Technopak Advisors, where he was exposed to strategy and advisory work across industries. This early experience gave him a grounding in analysing business challenges, understanding market dynamics, and working with senior stakeholders on transformation initiatives.
He later moved to Disney Star as a sales manager, entering the high-pressure world of media sales and brand partnerships. The role offered a close-up view of how content, audiences, and advertisers interact, as well as the commercial realities of one of India’s largest media networks. This exposure proved valuable as he navigated the convergence of media and technology in later roles.
Shekhar subsequently joined Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail, where he worked in the CEO’s office as a programme manager. The stint gave him experience at the heart of a large, diversified consumer business, dealing with cross-functional initiatives, strategic priorities, and execution challenges at scale. Working closely with top leadership in a retail environment sharpened his understanding of operational complexity, consumer behaviour, and the importance of aligning strategy with on-ground realities.
His transition to Google marked a decisive shift into the technology and digital ecosystem. Joining as Industry Manager for Media and Entertainment, Shekhar worked with publishers, broadcasters, and content platforms as they navigated digital disruption and monetisation challenges. Over time, he took on greater responsibility, eventually leading the broader technology, media, entertainment and telecom portfolio for Google India. In this capacity, he became known for his ability to bridge commercial objectives with technology-driven solutions, helping partners adapt to changing consumer habits and platform dynamics.
Colleagues and industry peers describe Shekhar as a leader who combines strategic clarity with an execution-focused mindset. His elevation to Director, LCS, is seen as a recognition of his ability to manage complex portfolios and build long-term relationships across diverse stakeholder groups. It also reflects Google India’s emphasis on leadership continuity and internal talent development, even as the company recalibrates its priorities in response to market and technological shifts.
The timing of Shekhar’s appointment is particularly significant as AI moves from experimentation to deployment across sectors. Google’s investments in AI—from generative models and data analytics to automation and cloud-based solutions—are increasingly central to its value proposition for large customers. For sectors like government, BFSI, education, and automotive, the challenge lies in adopting these technologies responsibly and at scale, balancing innovation with security, compliance, and inclusivity. Shekhar’s role will involve not only selling solutions, but also shaping conversations around readiness, capability-building, and long-term impact.
As India’s digital economy matures, the expectations from global technology companies are evolving. Enterprises and institutions are looking for partners who understand local contexts, regulatory landscapes, and sector-specific challenges, while bringing global expertise and cutting-edge tools. With his expanded mandate, Siddharth Shekhar will be at the forefront of these engagements, tasked with translating Google’s technological capabilities into meaningful outcomes for some of the country’s most influential sectors.
His elevation underscores a broader narrative about leadership in the technology sector today—one that values cross-industry experience, adaptability, and the ability to connect technology with real-world problems. As Google India deepens its focus on sectors that shape economic growth and social impact, Shekhar’s journey from consulting and media to the helm of large customer sales reflects both the complexity of the role and the ambition behind it.
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