Al, Innovation, & India's Global Ambition

Zoho CEO Mani Vembu on the Company's Next Chapter

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Zoho has long been a torchbearer of the “Built in India, for the World” philosophy, showing that world-class software doesn't need Silicon Valley roots to go global. With over 9,00,000 customers worldwide and a strong footprint in MSMEs as well as enterprises, the company continues to scale its innovation on home soil while staying deeply global in impact.

At the helm now is Mani Vembu, Zoho's newly appointed CEO, who steps into leadership at a time when AI, digital disruption, and workforce transformation are reshaping industries. In this candid conversation, he shares his vision for Zoho's next chapter, the company's ethical approach to AI, and its mission to upskill India's youth for the future.

As the newly-appointed CEO of Zoho, what is your vision for the company's next chapter, and how do you see your leadership further strengthening Zoho's “Built in India, for the World” philosophy in the coming decade?

‘Made in India, Made for the world’ is more than a philosophy for us; it was born from our conviction that world-class software can be built from anywhere. This belief impacts how we operate: it means investing in local talent, especially in rural areas, building a new pool of talent, and nurturing innovation ecosystems in smaller towns because we've seen firsthand how this model creates long-term resilience and self-reliance.

From the inception, our goal has been to focus on R&D to build the know-how, and so we built our own technology stack from the ground up. This approach has enabled us to deliver platforms that are not only robust but also mission-critical across industries.

We want to double down on this commitment, providing even more value to businesses through deeply integrated platforms that help them run more efficiently and sustainably.