Sandhya Devanathan Steps Down from Meta to Lead OpenAI in Southeast Asia and Australia

Sandhya Devanathan, Meta’s Vice President and Head for India and South East Asia, is stepping down after leading regional initiatives for the social media company. She is set to join artificial intelligence developer OpenAI as its Vice President for South East Asia and Australia, taking charge of an executive position newly established by the firm.

What Happened

In an announcement shared on LinkedIn, Sandhya Devanathan announced her departure from Meta after joining the organisation in 2016. While she indicated that she would take a brief break before moving to her next chapter without directly detailing her destination, OpenAI confirmed her appointment to the leadership role covering Southeast Asia and Australia.

Devanathan brings over 25 years of professional experience across both the technology and financial services sectors. During her tenure at Meta, she managed several key responsibilities across the Asia-Pacific region, including directing the company’s regional gaming business and assisting in building operations in markets such as Singapore and Vietnam. Her work at Meta also encompassed overseeing projects such as government citizen services delivered via WhatsApp in India and e-commerce storefront deployments for small enterprises across Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand.

Key Highlights

• New Leadership Role: Devanathan will become OpenAI’s most senior executive across South East Asia and Australia, overseeing consumer growth, enterprise adoption, commercial partnerships, operations, and regulatory engagement.
• Reporting Line and Base: She will operate from Singapore and report directly to Kiran Mani, OpenAI’s Managing Director for Asia Pacific.
• Meta Career: Joining Meta in 2016 when its Singapore branch comprised approximately 300 employees, Devanathan oversaw regional expansion in multiple sectors, including gaming and e-commerce.
• Regional AI Expansion: The appointment aligns with OpenAI’s ongoing footprint expansion across the Asia-Pacific territory, where it has established offices in Singapore, Tokyo, Seoul, Sydney, and New Delhi over a two-year timeframe.
• India Operations: In June, OpenAI appointed Prabhjeet Singh as Managing Director for India, following the launch of its New Delhi office in November 2025.

Why This Matters

The appointment marks a notable transition in regional technology leadership as artificial intelligence tools gain increased traction among businesses, developers, and everyday users. By establishing a dedicated executive post for Southeast Asia and Australia, OpenAI is consolidating its regional management structure alongside its presence in India, where company chief executive Sam Altman has previously cited high adoption rates and substantial technology investments.

What to Watch Next

OpenAI has not publicly confirmed an exact starting date for Devanathan, who indicated she will take a short break before stepping into her new responsibilities. Once active in the role, her direct focus will involve managing regulatory relations, enterprise partnerships, and consumer growth across the Southeast Asian and Australian territories.

Frequently Asked Questions

What will Sandhya Devanathan’s responsibilities be at OpenAI?

In her capacity as Vice President for South East Asia and Australia, Devanathan will oversee regional performance across consumer growth, enterprise tool adoption, commercial partnerships, government and regulatory engagement, and broader operational functions.

Where will Sandhya Devanathan be based?

OpenAI confirmed that Devanathan will be based in Singapore and will report to Kiran Mani, the company’s Managing Director for Asia Pacific.

What roles did Devanathan hold before joining OpenAI?

Devanathan served as Meta’s Vice President and Head for India and South East Asia, having joined the social media corporation in 2016. Her earlier responsibilities at Meta included heading its Asia-Pacific gaming division and supporting operational expansion in Singapore and Vietnam.

Source: Based on reporting from The Hindu.