Manoj Kohli, the erstwhile country head at SoftBank India, has joined Smart eMobility as chairman. Smart eMobility is a Platform as a Service (PaaS) provider that offers a comprehensive platform and end-to-end solutions for stakeholders in the electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem. 

Leveraging the latest technologies enables utilities, energy retailers, charging station operators, smart cities, and automotive companies to accelerate EV adoption, address end-to-end charging infrastructure needs, improve customer experience, and contribute to a sustainable future.

To accomplish this mission, Kohli will guide and assist the team in driving innovation, leading growth efforts, establishing strategic partnerships and developing global oversight for the business. Under his leadership, the company hopes to rapidly advance towards its objective of helping people better manage and control their EVs and significantly contribute toward sustainability goals.

As the former country head of SoftBank India, Kohli played a crucial role in supporting SoftBank Group and Vision Fund as one of the largest investors with over $15 billion in assets under management and over 25 AI-focused portfolio companies in India. He coached entrepreneurs and start-up founders to address growth and profitability challenges and helped them execute profitable growth strategies. 

Before his role at SoftBank, Kohli served as the executive chairman of SB Energy from 2015, where he achieved over 5GW of renewable energy—solar, wind, and hybrid—capacity in India. He also served as the Managing Director and CEO of Bharti Airtel, overseeing operations in 20 countries in Asia and Africa until 2015.

He holds degrees in commerce, law and an MBA from Delhi University. He also attended the 'Executive Management Program' at Michigan and the 'Advanced Management Program' at Wharton.

"As the chairman of Smart eMobility, I am committed to advancing our mission of accelerating EV adoption and contributing to a sustainable future. By leveraging cutting-edge technology and strategic partnerships, we will accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles and help people better manage and control their EVs. Smart eMobility's end-to-end solutions will drive innovation, improve customer experience, and contribute to the world's sustainability goals. I look forward to working with the team and stakeholders to create a smarter, greener future," Kohli stated.

"I have known Kohli for many years, and I strongly believe that his unique perspective and expertise will help steer Smart eMobility toward new horizons of excellence. With his guidance, we are excited to explore new avenues for growth and development and to embrace the challenges that lie ahead in an EV-driven future with renewed vigour and determination," said Deepak Garg, CEO and founder of Smart eMobility.