Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Google Cloud Names Accenture Veteran Karthik Narain Chief Product and Business Officer

The hire signals a push to deepen Google Cloud’s focus on AI for enterprise customers.

Overview

  • Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian announced the appointment on LinkedIn on Oct. 21, with Google CEO Sundar Pichai publicly welcoming Narain.
  • Narain will lead product and engineering across cloud, developer tools, data and Applied AI, oversee go-to-market efforts, and work with Google Public Sector.
  • He described the role as Google Cloud’s first Chief Product & Business Officer and said he aims to pair his enterprise experience with Google’s AI capabilities to drive digital transformation.
  • Narain previously served as Accenture’s chief technology officer and held senior roles at HCLTech and Infosys, with a master’s degree from Bharathidasan University.
  • Hindustan Times reports Google Cloud is in talks with Anthropic on a potential multibillion-dollar partnership, a prospective test for Narain’s remit that has not been confirmed by the companies.