Gunjan Soni Appointed YouTube India MD to Drive Creator Growth

YouTube has appointed Gunjan Soni as its new Country Managing Director for India. She succeeds Ishan Chatterjee, who left YouTube last year to join JioCinema. With India being YouTube’s largest and fastest-growing market, Gunjan’s appointment signals a major strategic move for the video platform.

New-Age Media Veteran

Looking at Soni’s career timeline, she has had a stellar journey. She served as the Group CEO at Zalora — Southeast Asia’s leading online fashion platform — and brings over two decades of experience across technology, business, marketing, and e-commerce. She has also held leadership positions at Myntra as Chief Marketing Officer, at Star India as Executive Vice President, and began her career at McKinsey & Company, specializing in consumer and marketing strategies.

An alumna of XLRI Jamshedpur and Barkatullah University, Soni’s background uniquely positions her to steer YouTube’s ambitions in India’s dynamic digital ecosystem.

Gautam Anand, Vice President of YouTube APAC, welcomed her on LinkedIn, noting her deep understanding of the creator economy and digital commerce as key assets. Soni herself expressed excitement about working closely with Indian creators to foster innovation and unlock new storytelling avenues powered by AI and evolving video formats.

With nearly half a billion users in India, YouTube is focusing on expanding monetization opportunities for creators, scaling video commerce, and leveraging AI for personalized content. Soni’s appointment comes at a critical time when digital consumption patterns are evolving rapidly, and platforms are racing to innovate.

As YouTube sharpens its India focus, Soni’s leadership is expected to drive stronger community engagement and next-level growth for creators and audiences alike.