Meta VP Sandhya Devanathan Steps Down to Join OpenAI Amid Scrutiny in India
Sandhya Devanathan, Meta’s vice president for India and Southeast Asia, is departing the social media firm to take up a regional leadership position at artificial intelligence company OpenAI, according to statements confirmed to TechCrunch.
What Happened
OpenAI announced that Sandhya Devanathan will join the company in a Singapore-based role reporting directly to Kiran Mani, the managing director for the Asia-Pacific region. In her new assignment, Devanathan will direct consumer growth, business enterprise adoption, strategic partnerships, operational functions, and regulatory engagement across Southeast Asia and Australia.
Devanathan joined Meta in 2016, occupying several senior roles such as heading its Asia-Pacific gaming division before taking charge as vice president for India and Southeast Asia in June of last year. A person familiar with the company noted that she was an active participant in Meta’s decision-making within India. Following her exit, Meta’s managing director for India, Arun Srinivas, is set to report directly to Benjamin Joe, Meta’s vice president for the Asia-Pacific division.
Her move follows the recent onboarding of Prabhjeet Singh, formerly of Uber, who joined OpenAI as its India head after spending more than ten years managing Uber’s operations in India and South Asia.
Key Highlights
- Executive Transition: Sandhya Devanathan leaves Meta after joining in 2016 to lead Southeast Asia and Australia operations for OpenAI from Singapore.
- OpenAI’s Regional Footprint: The AI firm has established regional offices across Delhi, Singapore, Tokyo, Seoul, and Sydney over the preceding two years.
- Meta Internal Restructuring: Arun Srinivas, Meta’s India managing director, will now report directly to APAC vice president Benjamin Joe.
- Heightened Regulatory Pressure: Meta recently addressed government scrutiny in India concerning platform content moderation and safety mechanisms.
Why This Matters
This leadership transition coincides with significant regional growth by OpenAI alongside escalating regulatory challenges for Meta in India. OpenAI has steadily built its Asia-Pacific presence by establishing physical offices across key hubs, including Delhi, Tokyo, Seoul, Singapore, and Sydney, while bringing in established technology leaders from Uber and Meta to direct local market strategies.
Simultaneously, Meta has encountered intensified regulatory oversight from Indian authorities regarding platform moderation and online protection. The platform recently issued an apology after Instagram mistakenly restricted an online post by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, leading the government to summon senior executives, including Chief Global Affairs Officer Joel Kaplan. Furthermore, Indian authorities sought official responses after a BBC investigation identified Instagram advertisements allegedly offering access to child sexual abuse material. In response, Meta stated that it had disabled the offending advertisements and accounts, removed 160,000 accounts across India over a six-month duration due to child-exploitation signals, and rejected allegations that it intentionally served such advertisements based on user interests.
What to Watch Next
Following Devanathan’s departure, attention turns to how Meta manages its leadership chain in India under Arun Srinivas and Benjamin Joe as discussions with authorities proceed. Observers will also track OpenAI’s operational rollout and partner initiatives across Southeast Asia and Australia under Devanathan’s leadership, alongside Prabhjeet Singh’s direction of the company’s activities in India.
Frequently Asked Questions
What will be Sandhya Devanathan’s role at OpenAI?
Based in Singapore, Devanathan will report to Asia-Pacific managing director Kiran Mani, overseeing operations, consumer growth, enterprise adoption, partnerships, and regulatory engagement across Southeast Asia and Australia.
Who is taking over Meta’s India reporting structure?
Following Devanathan’s exit, Meta’s India managing director, Arun Srinivas, will report directly to Meta’s vice president for Asia-Pacific, Benjamin Joe.
What recent regulatory issues did Meta face in India?
Meta was summoned by Indian authorities after mistakenly restricting an Instagram post by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Additionally, the Indian government sought explanations following reports of illicit advertisements offering access to child sexual abuse material, prompting Meta to remove offending accounts and clarify its moderation enforcement.
Source: TechCrunch