Meta executive Sandhya Devanathan departs for OpenAI to oversee Southeast Asia and Australia operations

Sandhya Devanathan, a Meta executive, is leaving the social media giant to join OpenAI, where she will oversee some of its operations across Southeast Asia and Australia, TechCrunch reported on August 28.

The move comes as Meta faces growing scrutiny in India, adding a talent dimension to a period of heightened regulatory attention for the company.

For OpenAI, the hire brings a seasoned operator to its fast-expanding international business. Southeast Asia and Australia are among the fastest-growing regions for AI adoption and a focus of the company's regional push.

For Meta, losing an executive at a time when regulatory pressure in India is rising means the company must manage both regulatory and talent challenges in a key market at once.

The move also continues a broader pattern of senior talent moving from big tech to frontier AI companies as OpenAI and its rivals scale regional operations.

What to watch next: how Devanathan structures OpenAI's Southeast Asia and Australia operations, and how Meta responds to the scrutiny it faces in India.