Uber names former Tata Sons executive as India business development head

MUMBAI (Reuters) - U.S. ride-hailing giant Uber Technologies said on Thursday it has tapped Madhu Kannan as its chief business officer for India and emerging markets. The company said Kannan will be responsible for growing its business in India as well as across new emerging markets in the Asia Pacific region, through strategic partnerships. Uber declined to provide details on the countries that would fall under his purview. Kannan was previously the group head of business development at Tata Sons and prior to that he was chief executive of the Bombay Stock Exchange. India, one of the world's fastest growing taxi markets, has become Uber's main battleground in Asia after it folded its China business into local rival Didi Chuxing. It is locked in a fierce market share battle with domestic rival Ola in India, but Uber's CEO Travis Kalanick recently said he does see a path to profitability for the ride-sharing firm in India. (Reporting by Sankalp Phartiyal; Editing by Euan Rocha)