Meet Ashish Chowdhary, DU Maths graduate who runs Apple's Rs 40,000 crore iPhone operation in India

Apple has become the first brand that has crossed the $5-billion mark on export from India. The company has exported phones worth Rs 40,000 crore in the financial year 2023. The company, after facing law and order issues in China, has shifted focus to India. India's overall smartphone exports reached 10 billion dollars for the first time.This includes Samsung India's around 4 billion dollars worth of exports from India. India is also exporting the phones to developed European markets like UK, Italy, Japan and Germany. One of the key men central to Apple's plan in India is Ashish Chowdhary.

According to ET, Apple is not only manufacturing phones for the international market but for its India market as well.

In 2020, Apple's production in India was only 1 percent. It has now become 5 percent. China is still the largest iPhone maker.

India is the world's second largest iPhone maker. Apple is gearing up to open its stores on April 18 and April 20 in Mumbai and Delhi. The importance of
India in Apple's operations can be gauged from the fact that Tim Cook will fly down to India for the launch of the stores. Apple may also start making AirPods in India. Apple is currently making iPhones 12, 13 and 14 in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. In March 2023, Apple had exported around 1 billion dollars worth of iPhones from India, reported ET.

According to reports, Apple is also reorganising its leadership team for international markets to focus on India. Hugues Asseman, the vice president in charge of India, the Middle East, Mediterranean, East Europe and Africa retired recently. The company is now reportedly promoting Ashish Chowdhary, the head of India, in his place. He will report to Michael Fenger, Apple's global sales head.

Who is Ashish Chowdhary?

Ashish Chowdhary joined Apple as the company's country head, in April 2019. Before that, he was Nokia's Chief Customer Operations Officer. He joined Nokia in December 2003. 

He was also on Nokia Networks executive board. He was also the head of Global Services at Nokia Siemens Networks.

He was brought in to arrest the flat sales of Apple devices. And he has delivered as Apple sales increased since he took over. 

Ashish Chowdhary was born in 1965. He is from Delhi.

He graduated from Delhi University in Mathematics.

He later completed his masters from Emory University. He has a degree in Computer Science.

He later studied business administration from Wharton School, Pennsylvania University, United States.

He was incharge of Nokia Networks’ India operations till 2007.