All about Meta's new India head Arun Srinivas: Where all he worked, education and more …

Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has appointed Arun Srinivas as its new managing director and head for India, effective July 1, 2025. A marketing veteran Srinivas will succeed Sandhya Devanathan, who has taken on an expanded role overseeing both India and Southeast Asia. Srinivas will continue to report directly to Devanathan in his new capacity. Commenting on Srinivas’s elevation, Sandhya Devanathan, Vice President (India and South East Asia), Meta, said, “As India continues to be at the forefront of economic growth and innovation, we are excited to have Arun at the helm of our efforts in this critical market. Meta in India is leading the way in AI adoption, WhatsApp, and Reels, and Arun’s impressive track record of building high-performing teams, driving product innovation, and fostering strong partnerships makes him the ideal leader to drive Meta’s continued investment in the country. He will continue to work closely with me as we scale the business in India.”

Arun Srinivas started his career with Reebok in 1996, 15 years at HUL and more …

Srinivas currently serves as Director and Head of Ads Business for Meta India, where he has led strategic initiatives across AI, Reels, and Messaging, working closely with top advertisers and agency partners. He joined Meta in September 2020, initially heading the Global Business Group in India. Under his leadership, Meta India's advertising revenue reportedly saw a significant increase in the last fiscal year.Arun Srinivas has nearly three decades of extensive experience across diverse sectors, including fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), technology, mobility, and private equity.

Srinivas started his career as a product manager at Reebok in 1996. He then spent over 15 years at Hindustan Unilever, joining in 2001 as a Branch Sales Manager and rising through the ranks to become Vice President of Foods South Asia, overseeing businesses across India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.Following his long stint at Hindustan Unilever, Srinivas transitioned into the investment world serving as an Operating Advisor for WestBridge Capital for two and a half years. In 2019, he started working at Ola as chief operating officer and global chief marketing officer. At Ola he managed India P&L and also worked on the company's expansion. Then in 2020 he joined Meta as Director and Head of Meta's Global Business Group.

Arun Srinivas is a Science graduate from University of Madras

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Madras (1993), a PGDM in Marketing from the prestigious Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Calcutta (1996), and completed executive education in Strategic Customer Management from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management (2007).

Arun Srinivas responsibilities as Meta’s India head

In his new role, Srinivas will be responsible for bringing together Meta's business, innovation, and revenue priorities in India. His mandate includes strengthening relationships with India's largest advertisers, brands, developers, and partners to drive sustained business growth across the region.

What makes Arun Srinivas’ appointment crucial

His appointment comes at a crucial time for Meta in India, a market that represents the company's largest user base across its platforms. The region is also at the forefront of AI adoption and innovation, particularly concerning short-form video content like Reels and business messaging solutions on WhatsApp. Srinivas has previously emphasised AI as the "backbone of everything we do" at Meta, indicating that his leadership will likely intensify the focus on AI integration across the company's offerings in India.