Meta’s India, Southeast Asia VP Sandhya Devanathan moves to OpenAI

Sandhya Devanathan, Meta's Vice President for India and Southeast Asia, is transitioning to OpenAI after a decade-long career at Meta. Reported to take the reins at OpenAI as Vice President for Southeast Asia and Australia in October, she will oversee consumer growth, enterprise adoption, partnerships, regulatory engagement and operations across the region.

Her departure from Meta, announced on LinkedIn, comes after she served as Vice President and Head of Meta India in late 2022, with responsibility for the company's business and revenue priorities in one of its largest markets. Devanathan's tenure with Meta saw her work across ecommerce and gaming in Asia-Pacific, help build Meta's businesses in Singapore and Vietnam, and oversee its ecommerce initiatives across Southeast Asia.

OpenAI has been expanding its footprint across Asia-Pacific, with offices in markets like Singapore, Tokyo, Seoul, Sydney, and Delhi. Devanathan's regional expansion at OpenAI makes her the most senior executive in the role, responsible for building partnerships with businesses, institutions, and governments. OpenAI has also strengthened its leadership in India, appointing Prabhjeet Singh as Managing Director for India in June.

Meta's Regional Vice President for Asia-Pacific, Benjamin Joe, confirmed Singh's role in leading the India business alongside new OpenAI hire.