AI giant Anthropic taps former Microsoft India head to lead its first Indian office

Irina brings more than three decades of experience in scaling technology businesses.

She most recently served as Managing Director, Microsoft India, where she led enterprise AI adoption across major Indian industries including banking and financial services, healthcare, manufacturing, and government.

She’s led high-impact teams, built ecosystem partnerships, and championed future-ready capabilities across India’s technology landscape, with a consistent focus on using technology to drive meaningful business and societal impact.

“India has a real opportunity to shape how AI is built and deployed at scale,” Irina said.

“Indian organizations are moving beyond experimentation toward applied AI, where trust, safety, and long-term impact matter as much as innovation. Anthropic’s mission resonates with my belief that technology should empower people, expand access, and create lasting value across India’s diverse languages and communities.”

"Irina's expertise in scaling technology businesses and driving enterprise transformation makes her the ideal leader as we expand," said Chris Ciauri, Managing Director of International, Anthropic.

"As we grow our teams and deepen engagement across India’s public and private sectors, Irina will ensure our approach is grounded in local insight and aligned with our mission."

Anthropic is all set to open its first India office in the IT hub Bengaluru.