Sandhya Devanathan Moves From Meta to OpenAI as AI Firm Expands Across Asia-Pacific
Singapore, A major executive transition in the technology industry is drawing attention across Asia after Sandhya Devanathan, a senior Meta executive who led the company’s India and Southeast Asia operations, decided to join OpenAI.
Devanathan is set to become OpenAI’s Vice President for Southeast Asia and Australia, taking charge of a newly created regional leadership position. She will be based in Singapore and report to Kiran Mani, OpenAI’s Managing Director for Asia-Pacific.
The move comes as OpenAI accelerates its expansion across Asia-Pacific and seeks to increase the use of its artificial intelligence products among consumers, businesses, developers and institutions.
A Wider Role at OpenAI
Devanathan’s new responsibilities will extend beyond traditional business development.
She will oversee consumer growth, enterprise adoption, partnerships, regulatory engagement and regional operations. Her role will also involve building relationships with governments, businesses and other organisations involved in the developing AI ecosystem.
OpenAI’s decision to create a dedicated senior position for Southeast Asia and Australia reflects the growing importance of these markets to the company’s international strategy.
More Than a Decade at Meta
Devanathan joined Meta in 2016 and spent more than ten years working across the company’s Asia-Pacific operations.
During her career at Meta, she helped develop the company’s businesses in Singapore and Vietnam and worked on e-commerce initiatives in Southeast Asia. She later became responsible for Meta’s Asia-Pacific gaming business before taking on leadership responsibilities in India and Southeast Asia.
She became Meta’s India head in 2023 and subsequently took responsibility for Southeast Asia.
Her career has included work across technology, banking and payments, giving her more than 25 years of professional experience.
OpenAI Strengthens Its Regional Leadership
Devanathan’s appointment is part of a broader expansion by OpenAI in Asia-Pacific.
The company has opened offices in Singapore, Tokyo, Seoul, Sydney and Delhi during the past two years. It has also strengthened its leadership structure in India, including the appointment of former Uber India and South Asia President Prabhjeet Singh to lead the Indian business.
The expansion comes as competition between AI companies becomes increasingly intense.
OpenAI faces established technology companies as well as specialised AI firms seeking to increase their presence in Asian markets.
Why Southeast Asia Matters
Southeast Asia represents a particularly important opportunity for AI companies because of its large population, expanding digital economy and growing technology sector.
Businesses across the region are experimenting with AI for customer service, software development, marketing, education, finance and other applications.
OpenAI’s regional strategy is therefore expected to focus not only on individual ChatGPT users but also on companies and institutions seeking to integrate AI into their operations.
Devanathan’s experience working with businesses and digital platforms across multiple Asian markets could prove useful as OpenAI attempts to deepen those relationships.
Australia Adds Another Important Market
Her new responsibilities also include Australia, a mature technology market with a strong enterprise sector and an increasingly active AI ecosystem.
Managing Southeast Asia and Australia together gives OpenAI a regional leadership structure covering markets with very different economic and regulatory environments.
The company will need to balance local regulations, business requirements and consumer expectations while maintaining a consistent approach to its AI products.
Meta Changes Its India Reporting Structure
Devanathan’s departure also brings a change to Meta’s management structure in India.
Meta’s India Managing Director and Country Head Arun Srinivas, who previously reported to Devanathan, will now report directly to Benjamin Joe, Meta’s Vice President for Asia-Pacific.
Meta said Devanathan’s leadership had made a lasting contribution to its regional business.
Her departure does not mean Meta is withdrawing from India. The company will continue operating under its existing India leadership team.
A Sign of the AI Talent Competition
The move also highlights the increasingly competitive market for senior technology executives.
Major technology companies are competing not only for AI researchers and engineers but also for leaders capable of building commercial partnerships, navigating regulation and expanding products into new markets.
Devanathan’s transition from one of the world’s largest social-media companies to one of the leading AI companies illustrates how quickly the technology industry’s leadership landscape is changing.
What the Appointment Could Mean
OpenAI’s challenge in Asia is no longer simply making AI technology available. The company must also build local relationships and understand how businesses, governments and consumers want to use the technology.
Devanathan’s regional experience could help OpenAI pursue those goals.
Her new position places her at the centre of the company’s efforts to expand across Southeast Asia and Australia at a time when AI adoption is accelerating and competition is intensifying.
The transition therefore represents more than a senior executive changing companies. It reflects a broader shift in the technology industry, where artificial intelligence is becoming one of the biggest drivers of corporate investment, talent movement and international expansion.
