Meta appoints Sandhya Devanathan as India Vice President amid massive layoffs

Mark Zuckerberg-led Meta has appointed Sandhya Devanathan as the Vice President of its India vertical – Meta India. She will take over from January 1, 2023, and will report to Meta APAC Vice President Dan Neary. Devanathan will move back to India and lead the company’s organisation and strategy in the country. She will focus on bringing the organisation’s business and revenue priorities together to help partners and clients while supporting the long-term growth of Meta’s India business. 

The incoming Meta India Vice President will also focus on strengthening strategic relationships with leading brands, advertisers, creators, and partners to drive the behemoth’s revenue growth in India. She has over two decades of experience and an international career in areas such as banking, payments, and technology. 

The industry veteran joined Meta in 2016 and played a significant role in building out Meta’s Singapore and Vietnam businesses and the company’s e-commerce initiatives in Southeast Asia. Devanathan led the company’s gaming vertical for APAC, one of the largest Meta verticals globally. 

She is also an executive sponsor for Women@APAC and the global lead for Meta’s global initiative aimed at diverse representation in the gaming industry Play Forward. Besides, she is also on the global board of Pepper Financial Services. 

“Sandhya has a proven track record of scaling businesses, building exceptional and inclusive teams, driving product innovation, and building strong partnerships,” Meta Chief Business Officer Marne Levine said on Devanathan’s appointment. 

Devanathan’s appointment comes as global tech giants are laying off thousands of employees given the uncertain economic situation. Meta fired around 11,000 employees earlier this week and several Indians have been impacted. Zuckerberg said in a blog post that the company will provide immigration support to foreign employees. 

Also read: ‘Some roles will no longer be required’: Amazon officially announces first round of layoffs

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