Nikesh Arora

Nikesh Arora oversees all revenue and customer operations at Google, as well as marketing and partnerships. Since joining Google in 2004, he has held several key positions. Most recently, he led Google’s global direct sales operations and developed the company’s operations in the European, Middle Eastern, and African markets. He was also responsible for creating and expanding strategic partnerships in those regions, benefiting Google's growing number of users and advertisers. In addition to his role at Google, Arora serves as the Vice Chairman of SoftBank Corp. and CEO of SoftBank Internet and Media, Inc., bringing a broad vision to the intersection of internet and media industries.

Before his tenure at Google, Arora was the chief marketing officer and a member of the management board at T-Mobile Europe. During his time there, he spearheaded product development, terminals, brand, and marketing activities of T-Mobile Europe. His career in the telecommunications sector began in earnest in 1999 when he started working with Deutsche Telekom and later founded T-Motion PLC, a mobile multimedia subsidiary of T-Mobile International. Before joining Deutsche Telekom, he held management positions at Putnam Investments and Fidelity Investments in Boston.

Arora holds a master’s degree from Boston College and an MBA from Northeastern University, both awarded with distinction. He also earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. In 1989, he graduated from the Indian Institute of Technology Varanasi with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. His insights on technological advancements and market strategies are highly sought after, as demonstrated by his presentation at NPC 2015, where he shared his perspective on India's Leapfrog Moment.