Google Cloud names new country heads in Indonesia & Thailand

Google Cloud has appointed Karim Siregar as Country Director for Indonesia and Saruj Thipsena as Country Manager for Thailand, expanding its leadership team in Southeast Asia.

Both will report to Mark Micallef, Managing Director, Southeast Asia, and oversee local operations, market strategy, and customer engagement in their respective countries.

Siregar joins from BFI Finance Indonesia, where he was Chief Information Officer. Earlier in his career, he was founding President Director of Bank Jago and Chief Executive Officer of Dkatalis Digital Labs, and held senior technology roles at Bank BTPN, Bank Danamon, and Bank Mega.

Thipsena joins from Thailand-based AI and data analytics company STelligence, where he was Executive Director and Chief Technology Officer. He previously held leadership roles at Microsoft Thailand, including Deputy Managing Director of the Cloud Solution Unit and Chief Information Security Officer.

Indonesia role

In Indonesia, Siregar will lead local operations and market strategy as Google Cloud looks to deepen its work with businesses ranging from digital startups to established enterprises. His remit includes working across the organisation to support customer adoption of AI and cloud services.

Micallef said the appointment reflects changing demand among Indonesian customers.

"Indonesian enterprises and digital natives are among the most ambitious in the region when it comes to leveraging technology to solve real-world problems. As organizations look to move past the initial phase of AI experimentation, the mandate has shifted entirely to scalable, real-world deployment that drives immediate value for their end-users. Karim's exceptional track record of building, governing, and scaling digital-first institutions in Indonesia makes him the perfect leader for this next chapter. His deep understanding of embedded digital systems, financial inclusion, and broad-scale platform collaboration will ensure that Google Cloud remains the most trusted partner for local organizations looking to unlock the full potential of the Agentic Era," said Micallef.

Siregar said his focus would be on local deployment and data handling in Indonesia.

"Having spent years working within Indonesia's digital banking and platform ecosystems, I know firsthand that technology only matters when it simplifies lives and creates practical, measurable value for real users. Our local organizations-from fast-growing digital natives to traditional enterprises-are looking for trusted paths to bring secure AI directly into daily customer interactions. Through impactful frameworks like Indonesia BerdAIa and our dedicated local security operations data region in Jakarta, we are enabling technical teams to build and scale custom agentic solutions on an open architecture, all while keeping their sensitive telemetry strictly within national borders. I am thrilled to partner side-by-side with our Indonesian customers and local ecosystem to accelerate a secure, responsible digital future that benefits the broader economy," said Siregar.

Thailand role

In Thailand, Thipsena will lead go-to-market strategy, customer and partner engagement, and business operations. His background spans cloud, cybersecurity, AI, and telecommunications infrastructure, including work on Thailand's TH2OECD national project and a collaboration with UN ESCAP on an AI-assisted legal and compliance research system.

Google Cloud has increased its investment in Thailand, including a US$1 billion commitment and a cloud region in Bangkok. Micallef said the appointment is intended to strengthen local execution as the company expands its presence.

"Thailand is a critical growth engine for Southeast Asia's digital economy, and our US$1 billion investment in Thailand and new cloud region in Bangkok reflects our absolute commitment to serving the country and our customers here. As we enter this next phase, world-class infrastructure must be matched by deep local collaboration. Saruj's extensive technical background and proven history of helping Thai enterprises accelerate their digital transformation make him a fantastic addition to our team. We are excited to have him on board to deepen our local ecosystem collaborations and ensure Thai organizations can seamlessly leverage our AI capabilities to drive real business transformation," said Micallef.

Thipsena said adoption would depend on balancing innovation with governance and trust.

"Having partnered with Thai enterprises on AI and cybersecurity for years, I know that digital transformation only succeeds when it balances cutting-edge innovation with strict data governance and trust. Thailand has the momentum to shape the region's digital future, and Google Cloud is committed to being an open, collaborative partner in that journey. I'm excited to engage closely with our customers and the broader ecosystem to help Thai organizations accelerate responsible AI adoption and innovate with confidence," said Thipsena.

Regional push

The appointments come as cloud providers compete for market share in Southeast Asia, where demand for AI tools and cloud services is rising among banks, retailers, telecoms groups, and public sector bodies. Google Cloud cited customer bases in both Indonesia and Thailand that include financial institutions, consumer companies, startups, universities, and large conglomerates.

Indonesia has been a particular focus for Google Cloud's industry programmes, with organisations such as Bank Central Asia, Bank Rakyat Indonesia, Telkom Indonesia, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, Astra International, and Bukalapak among users of its services. In Thailand, named customers include Government Savings Bank, KASIKORN Business-Technology Group, the Stock Exchange of Thailand, Central Retail, Minor Hotels, True Digital Group, and Chulalongkorn University.

Siregar brings more than three decades of experience across Indonesia's banking, financial services, and technology sectors, while Thipsena adds more than 20 years in enterprise technology and digital infrastructure across Thailand and the wider region.