Meta's India and Southeast Asia chief, Sandhya Devanathan, has stepped down from the company after more than a decade in leadership roles spanning multiple markets and business verticals.
Devanathan announced her departure in a LinkedIn post, describing the decision as "bittersweet" and thanking colleagues, partners and teams she worked with during her tenure at the social media giant.
The executive said she would take a short break before beginning the next phase of her professional journey. She added that details of her next move would be shared at a later date.
Her exit marks the end of a long stint at Meta, during which she held leadership positions across Southeast Asia, Asia Pacific and India while overseeing some of the company's key growth businesses.
Leadership journey across Asia
Sandhya Devanathan joined Meta in 2016 and initially worked on the company's businesses and teams in Singapore and Vietnam. During her early years at the company, she also contributed to Meta's e-commerce initiatives across Southeast Asia.
In 2020, she was appointed to lead the Gaming business for Asia Pacific, one of Meta's largest global verticals. The role expanded her responsibilities across one of the company's most strategically important sectors in the region.
Beyond commercial operations, Devanathan was also involved in leadership development and diversity initiatives within the organisation. She served as Executive Sponsor for Women@APAC and was the global lead for Play Forward, a Meta programme focused on improving diversity representation within the gaming industry.
Took charge of Meta India in 2022
Devanathan was named Vice President and Head of Meta India in 2022.
The appointment placed her in charge of aligning the company's business and revenue priorities in one of Meta's most important growth markets. Her responsibilities included working closely with partners, advertisers and clients while supporting the company's broader strategic objectives in India.
During her tenure, she oversaw business operations while helping drive Meta's long-term growth agenda in the country.
Reflecting on her career at the company, Devanathan noted that she joined Meta when its Singapore workforce was around 300 employees and when much of the technology sector was focused on accelerating digital transformation efforts.
Career spans multiple industries
Before her leadership roles in technology, Devanathan built a career across banking, payments and financial services.
Key highlights of her professional background include:
- More than two decades of global business experience
- Leadership roles spanning banking, payments and technology
- Management responsibilities across India, Southeast Asia and broader APAC markets
- Service on the global board of Pepper Financial Services
- Active involvement in talent development and diversity initiatives
Her career at Meta combined commercial leadership with organisational and workforce development responsibilities across multiple regions.
Next move remains undisclosed
Devanathan has not revealed details of her future plans.
In her announcement, she said she intends to take time off before moving into her next role. No successor or transition details were disclosed alongside her departure announcement.
Her exit comes after years of leadership across Meta's operations in India and Asia Pacific, closing a chapter that saw her work across e-commerce, gaming, regional business development and market expansion initiatives.
Attention will now turn to who succeeds Devanathan and how Meta structures leadership for one of its most significant markets outside the United States.