After more than ten years at Meta, Sandhya Devanathan is moving to OpenAI as Vice President for South East Asia and Australia, marking a major leadership shift in the tech sector.

  • Sandhya Devanathan is leaving Meta after over a decade of service.
  • She has been appointed as VP for South East Asia and Australia at OpenAI.
  • The role is a newly created position focused on growth and regulatory engagement.
  • She will be based in Singapore and report to Kiran Mani.

In a significant move within the global technology landscape, Sandhya Devanathan, a veteran leader at Meta, has announced her departure from the social media giant. After more than ten years of driving growth across the Asia-Pacific region, she is set to join OpenAI in a high-profile leadership capacity.

OpenAI has confirmed that Devanathan will step into the newly created role of Vice President for South East Asia and Australia. In this capacity, she will serve as the company's most senior leader in the region, overseeing critical functions including consumer growth, enterprise adoption, strategic partnerships, and regulatory engagement. She will be based out of Singapore, reporting directly to Kiran Mani, OpenAI's Managing Director for Asia Pacific.

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Why This Matters

BozokMedia analysis shows that this transition highlights the intensifying talent war between traditional social media giants and the rapidly ascending Artificial Intelligence sector. As companies like OpenAI seek to solidify their footprint in the APAC region, recruiting proven regional leaders from established tech titans is a strategic necessity to navigate complex local regulations and market nuances.

Devanathan's journey at Meta began in 2016, a period when the company's Singapore presence was significantly smaller. She played a pivotal role in scaling operations and helping businesses across Southeast Asia—including Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand—leverage Meta's platforms for digital transformation. Her departure marks the end of an era for Meta's regional leadership team.

The migration of top-tier leadership from social media ecosystems to AI-first organizations signals a fundamental shift in the global tech hierarchy.

OpenAI's expansion in Asia is accelerating. Following the opening of offices in Tokyo, Seoul, Sydney, and New Delhi, the company is aggressively positioning itself to capture the massive demand for AI tools among enterprises and developers. The appointment of Devanathan is a cornerstone of this regional expansion strategy.

Historical Background

Over the last two years, OpenAI has transitioned from a research-centric organization to a global commercial powerhouse. By establishing local offices and appointing regional heads like Prabhjeet Singh in India, the company is moving to integrate its AI capabilities into the core infrastructure of emerging economies.

Did You Know?: OpenAI opened its first dedicated office in New Delhi in November 2025 to bolster its presence in one of the world's fastest-growing AI markets.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What will be Sandhya Devanathan's primary responsibility at OpenAI?
She will lead consumer growth, enterprise adoption, partnerships, and regulatory engagement for South East Asia and Australia.

2. Where will she be operating from?
She will be based in Singapore.