Arun Srinivas is set to become the new India Head of Meta Platforms, effective July 1, 2025. This appointment marks a significant leadership transition for the social media giant in one of its most critical global markets. Srinivas will be responsible for spearheading Meta's strategy and operations in India, focusing on business growth, innovation, and strengthening relationships with key stakeholders. He will report to Sandhya Devanathan, who has recently taken on an expanded role leading both India and Southeast Asia for Meta.
Srinivas brings to the table nearly three decades of experience in sales, marketing, and business leadership. His career spans across diverse sectors, including fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), technology, and private equity. Before joining Meta, he held prominent positions in well-known companies such as Reebok, Hindustan Unilever, Ola, and WestBridge Capital.
His career began in the FMCG sector with Reebok in 1996, where he spent five years in roles such as Product Manager, Regional Sales Manager for South India, and Marketing Manager. In 2001, he joined Hindustan Unilever, where he spent over 15 years and held leadership positions across various categories and geographies, ultimately becoming the Category Vice President for Foods South Asia, managing business operations in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. Earlier in his Unilever tenure, he led the Skin Care & Makeup and Beverages divisions as Vice President.
Before joining Meta in September 2020, Srinivas transitioned to the private equity space as an Operating Advisor with WestBridge Capital Partners, leading the consumer vertical and helping drive growth at portfolio companies like Vini Cosmetics and Enrich Salons. In 2019, he joined Ola as COO and Global CMO, managing the company's India business, overseeing marketing, revenue, and mobility categories, and contributing to Ola's launch in London.
Since joining Meta, Srinivas has held the position of Director and Head of Ads Business in India since 2022. In this role, he has been responsible for Meta's revenue function across advertisers of all sizes, overseeing sales, solutions, measurement, and creative functions, and has played a crucial role in Meta's work with major advertisers and agency partners, focusing on strategic revenue priorities such as AI, Reels, and Messaging. Before that, he led the Global Business Group for India, handling revenue from large advertisers and agencies across industries.
Srinivas holds a PGDM in Marketing from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Calcutta, and an undergraduate degree in Physics from the University of Madras. He also completed an executive education program in Strategic Customer Management at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, in 2007.
Meta's choice of Arun Srinivas as its India Head reflects the company's commitment to leveraging experienced leadership to navigate the rapidly evolving digital landscape in India. His appointment comes at a time when Meta faces both opportunities and challenges in the Indian market, including the growth of AI-driven advertising, the expansion of digital commerce, and increasing regulatory scrutiny regarding content moderation and data privacy. His role will be to bring Meta's business, innovation, and revenue priorities together to serve partners and clients, while continuing to support the long-term growth of Meta's business and commitment to India.
The appointment also follows the departure of Shivnath Thukral, Meta's VP of Public Policy in India, and Sandhya Devanathan's expanded role encompassing Southeast Asia, marking a broader leadership reshuffle within the company.
