Meta executive departs for OpenAI amid rising Indian scrutiny of the social media giant
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| Source: TechCrunch | Original article
Meta executive Sandhya Devanathan departs to join OpenAI, where she will oversee operations in Southeast Asia and Australia, as Meta faces growing scrutiny in India.
Meta’s India and Southeast Asia vice‑president, Sandhya Devanathan, is leaving the social‑media giant to join OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT. The move was confirmed by OpenAI in a statement to TechCrunch. Devanathan will be based in Singapore and will report to OpenAI’s Asia‑Pacific managing director, Kiran Mani, overseeing a portion of the company’s operations across Southeast Asia and Australia.
The departure comes as Meta grapples with heightened regulatory scrutiny in India. Recent tensions have included a mistakenly restricted post by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and growing concerns over child‑abuse advertising on the platform. Devanathan’s exit creates a leadership gap in a region where Meta is under pressure to comply with local rules and restore trust.
Why it matters: Devanathan’s shift signals OpenAI’s intent to deepen its foothold in the fast‑growing Asia‑Pacific market, bringing senior experience from a major tech player that has navigated complex regulatory environments. For Meta, the loss of a regional leader amid ongoing investigations could hamper its ability to manage compliance and product strategy in a key market.
What to watch next: OpenAI’s next steps in expanding its consumer‑growth and enterprise‑adoption agenda in Southeast Asia, including any new partnerships or product roll‑outs. At the same time, observers will monitor how Meta fills the regional leadership void and whether the regulatory pressures in India intensify or ease in the coming months. As we reported on 28 August 2026, Devanathan’s move to OpenAI was already announced; her formal departure from Meta now confirms the transition.
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