Uber has appointed Manikandan Thangarathnam as Senior Director to lead its rider and platform engineering teams in Bengaluru. Thangarathnam has over 20 years of experience in spearheading engineering efforts across global majors, including a 13-year stint at Amazon, building several core platforms and products.

Most recently, he led engineering efforts for the Amazon Appstore and was instrumental in heading the tech major’s Chennai office and building a vast team of engineers. The appointment comes at a time when Uber is looking to strengthen its tech capabilities, positioning India as a technology hub for the ride hailing app.

As per a report by TechCrunch, Uber said its tech expansion plans in India were in line with its vision to make mobility and delivery “more accessible” and becoming the “backbone” of transportation in thousands of cities across the globe.

The company recently also hired Jayaram Valliyur as a senior director to lead its global finance technology team.

Thangarathnam will play a crtical role for Uber, as it continues to expand its engineering team. Last month, Uber announced it would hire 140 engineers in India. Yesterday, it shared that it was in the process of hiring an additional 85 engineers. 

“As the world steps into a new normal, adaptability is going to be a key aspect to usher in growth. I look forward to leading the bright minds at Uber and innovating together for the world, one ride at a time," said Thangarathnam.