TikTok India head calls it quits

Nikhil Gandhi, the India Head of China's ByteDance-owned short video-sharing platform TikTok, has called it quits and is currently serving his notice period, as per an IWMBuzz report.

After the company closed its India business, Gandhi was recently redesignated as TikTok Head for the Middle East, Africa, Turkey, and South Asia.

"After much reflection on my time here at ByteDance and looking at my future goals, I have made the difficult decision to leave my role in the company," Gandhi was quoted as saying by IWMBuzz.

"Working with TikTok, I have seen our app shepherd in a new era of connection, communication, and cultural appreciation," he added.

TikTok had brought in Gandhi in the year 2019 as its India head to spearhead the next phase of growth for the Chinese short video-sharing platform. However, in 2020, the Indian government said it was banning 59 apps developed by Chinese firms, including TikTok, over concerns that these apps were engaging in activities that threatened the national security of the country.

Meanwhile, prior to TikTok, Gandhi has worked with Times Network. Before that, he was at The Walt Disney Company for nine years. He also had stints at UTV Global Broadcasting and Viacom Media Networks. In a career spanning over two decades, Gandhi has worked in leadership positions at leading media and entertainment companies.