After 25 years at Amazon, Samir Kumar has been promoted to Country Manager for India, taking over from Manish Tiwary, who is stepping down to pursue new opportunities. This new role is in addition to his current responsibilities, where he leads Amazon’s consumer business in the Middle East, South Africa, and Turkey.
Samir Kumar’s journey with Amazon began in 1999 as a systems engineer when the company was still a budding startup, valued at less than $1 billion. Over the years, he climbed the corporate ladder, eventually becoming part of Jeff Bezos’ core leadership group alongside Amit Agarwal, the former Country Manager for Amazon India. Today, Amazon is a global powerhouse with a market capitalization of $1.96 trillion, and Kumar has been at the forefront of its international expansion.
Kumar’s career trajectory is impressive. He transitioned from systems engineering to holding key roles in Amazon’s global expansion strategies. By 2012, he moved to Bengaluru from Seattle as the Director of International Expansion, a pivotal time when Amazon was preparing its entry into India. Kumar was part of the team that spearheaded Amazon’s launch in the country in 2013. Under his leadership, Amazon India grew into a significant player in the e-commerce space, reporting a revenue of ₹22,200 crore in FY2023.
Kumar’s success in India was marked by key achievements, including exclusive partnerships with major brands like Philips and Disney. A leading media outlet once described him as one of the three most important figures at Amazon India, alongside Amit Agarwal.
Despite moving back to Seattle in 2016 to lead global growth and exports, Kumar’s return to India as Country Manager comes at a crucial time. With fierce competition from major players like Tata, Reliance, and startups such as Meesho and Zepto, his leadership will be vital as Amazon India navigates an increasingly competitive market.
As he prepares to assume operational responsibilities for Amazon India starting October 1, Kumar’s extensive experience and deep understanding of both the local and global market make him a key figure to watch.