Sandhya Devanathan, Meta’s vice president for India and Southeast Asia, is leaving the company after more than a decade, marking a significant leadership change for the social media major.
Devanathan announced
her departure in a LinkedIn post, saying she plans to take a brief break before deciding on her next professional move. She joined Meta in 2016 and held several leadership roles across the company’s businesses in the Asia-Pacific region.
Devanathan’s Leadership at Meta India
Devanathan became Meta India’s vice president in January 2023, succeeding former country head Ajit Mohan. During her tenure, she oversaw the company’s operations in India, one of Meta’s most important global markets and its largest user base.
India, with more than a billion users, remains a critical market for Meta’s growth across platforms including Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp.
In June 2025, Devanathan took on an expanded role overseeing Meta’s Southeast Asia business and moved to Singapore. The company subsequently appointed Arun Srinivas as managing director and head of India operations in July 2025.
Devanathan said her time at Meta allowed her to work across sectors including e-commerce and gaming while building teams in India and Southeast Asia.
A Decade of APAC Experience
Before leading Meta’s India operations, Devanathan played a role in developing the company’s businesses and teams in Singapore and Vietnam. She also worked on Meta’s e-commerce initiatives across Southeast Asia.
She joined Meta in 2016 after a career in banking, having previously worked at Standard Chartered Bank and Citi.
Reflecting on her tenure, Devanathan said she had been motivated by the idea that Meta’s products help create connections between people and businesses globally.
Her departure comes as Meta continues to deepen its presence across India and Southeast Asia, making the transition an important leadership development for the company’s regional operations.
