OpenAI Hires Meta Executive to Drive Southeast Asia, Australia Growth

OpenAI is building out a regional management structure as demand for generative AI grows across Asia-Pacific and governments sharpen oversight of the technology. The company has opened offices in Singapore, Tokyo, Seoul, Sydney and Delhi over the past two years. Hiring Sandhya Devanathan, an executive with deep experience in India and Southeast Asia, gives the ChatGPT maker local expertise spanning consumer growth, enterprise sales, partnerships and policy engagement in a diverse set of markets.

OpenAI said on Aug. 28, 2026, that Devanathan will join in October and be based in Singapore, reporting to Asia-Pacific Managing Director Kiran Mani. She will oversee consumer growth, enterprise adoption, partnerships, regulatory engagement and operations across Southeast Asia and Australia. Devanathan joined Meta in 2016 and became its vice president for India and Southeast Asia in June 2025. Her appointment came days after OpenAI named former Uber executive Prabhjeet Singh as its India head, underscoring the pace of the company’s regional expansion.