5 days ago
Meta’s India and Southeast Asia VP Sandhya Devanathan to Leave
Sandhya Devanathan is leaving Meta after working there for more than 10 years.
She shared the news in a social media post.
She said leaving felt both happy and sad.
Devanathan joined Meta in Singapore in 2016.
She later worked on gaming, ecommerce, and other projects across Asia-Pacific.
She eventually became Meta’s leader for India and Southeast Asia.
Meta said Arun Srinivas would join its Asia-Pacific leadership team and help lead Meta India.
One report says Devanathan will join OpenAI in October 2026, but another report says she has not announced her next job.
Sandhya Devanathan is leaving Meta after more than a decade with the company.
She described the decision as “bittersweet” and said she would take a short break.
Devanathan joined Meta’s Singapore operations in 2016, when it had about 300 employees there.
Her roles expanded from Asia-Pacific gaming to leading Meta’s India and Southeast Asia operations.
One report says she will join OpenAI in October 2026, while another says her next move remains undisclosed.
- Who
- Sandhya Devanathan, Meta’s vice president and head of India and Southeast Asia.
- What
- She announced that she is leaving Meta after more than a decade with the company.
- Where
- Her work covered Meta’s Singapore operations, India, Southeast Asia, and the wider Asia-Pacific region.
- When
- She announced the departure on Friday; one report says she will start at OpenAI in October 2026.
- Why
- She said she was moving on to her next chapter and would take a short break; she did not give a more specific reason.
Next Move Reported
Next Move Undisclosed
Devanathan’s future role
Next Move Reported
One report says Devanathan will join OpenAI’s operations in Southeast Asia and Australia, handling consumer growth, enterprise adoption, partnerships, and engagement with authorities from October 2026.
Next Move Undisclosed
Another report says Devanathan has not revealed what she plans to do next and only described the move as preparing for her next chapter.
Meta’s leadership transition
Next Move Reported
Meta said Arun Srinivas will join Benjamin Joe’s Asia-Pacific leadership team and build on the foundation at Meta India.
Next Move Undisclosed
The reports do not provide details about how responsibilities will be divided during the transition or identify a replacement for Devanathan’s combined regional role.
Key facts
- Departing executive
- Sandhya Devanathan
- Company
- Meta
- Meta start
- Joined Meta’s Singapore operations in 2016
- Current role
- Vice president and head of India and Southeast Asia
- Earlier role
- Became Meta’s Asia-Pacific vice president for gaming in 2020
- Regional expansion
- Became Meta’s India vice president in 2023 and added Southeast Asia to her responsibilities in 2025
- Reported next move
- One report says she will join OpenAI’s Southeast Asia and Australia operations in October 2026; another says her plans have not been disclosed
Quotes
Sandhya Devanathan
Meta’s departing India and Southeast Asia head and vice president
“The landscape looked so different in 2016 - everyone was talking about digital transformation. And we were right in the midst of it - helping startups, companies, creators and the ecosystem grow across the region while delivering great experiences for our hundreds of millions of our users.”
firstpost.com
“I am extraordinarily proud of how they’ve shown up every day, doing the best work they can in an industry that is rapidly evolving.”
financialexpress.com
Sources
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