Digital
Leading with purpose creates wins for consumers, community and country: Hina Nagarajan of Diageo India
Google's Preeti Lobana and Meta's Sandhya Devanathan: Women trailblazers leading India's big tech industry
Both Preeti Lobana and Sandhya Devanathan’s appointments are milestones in a broader trend of women rising to leadership positions in the global tech space.
With the leadership of Preeti Lobana and Sandhya Devanathan, India’s tech ecosystem stands at the threshold of a transformative era, where female leaders are not just breaking barriers but also charting new paths for the industry’s future. (L-R : Preeti Lobana, Sandhya Devanathan)
The tech industry in India is witnessing a significant shift as two of the world's leading tech giants, Meta and Google, have appointed female leaders to spearhead their operations in India.
Preeti Lobana - Country Manager and Vice President - Google India
Google on Monday announced the appointment of Preeti Lobana as the Country Manager and Vice President for India. Lobana’s appointment marks a significant moment for both Google and the Indian big tech ecosystem. With this appointment, the company became the second big tech company after Meta to have a female leader in India.
In this role, Lobana will oversee Google India's sales and operations, focusing on accelerating the country’s digital economy and fostering inclusive digital opportunities.
Lobana's profile reveals a career marked by diverse leadership experiences in the tech, banking, and financial sectors.
Prior to assuming her current role, she served as Google’s Vice President for gTech, overseeing Process, Partner, Publisher Operations, Ads Content, and Quality Operations.
Her leadership experience spans across global corporations such as NatWest Group, American Express, Standard Chartered Bank, and ANZ Grindlays Bank, where she led efforts to scale operations, forge strategic partnerships, and implement customer-focused growth strategies.
Her focus on digital inclusion aligns perfectly with Google’s broader mission to empower India’s digital economy and offer equal opportunities for all.
Lobana’s appointment is not just a milestone for Google but also a testament to her exceptional leadership, which has helped drive transformation across multiple sectors.
Sandhya Devanathan - Vice President - Meta India
Meta India has been led by Sandhya Devanathan since January 2023, when she was appointed as the Vice President.
Devanathan's journey to this leadership role was equally impressive. With a wealth of experience in banking, payments, and technology, Devanathan has spent over two decades in the corporate world, including strategic roles in Southeast Asia before taking the reins at Meta India.
She focuses on Meta's business and revenue priorities, strengthening relationships with brands, creators, advertisers, and partners.
Under her leadership, Meta continues expanding its footprint in India, a crucial market for the company.
In addition to her role, Devanathan has been a strong advocate for women's leadership, acting as the executive sponsor for Women@APAC at Meta and the global lead for Play Forward, an initiative aimed at increasing diversity in the gaming industry.
With the leadership of Preeti Lobana and Sandhya Devanathan, India’s big platform, big tech ecosystem stands at the threshold of a transformative era, where female leaders are not just breaking barriers but also charting new paths for the industry’s future.
SPOTLIGHT
At the Storyboard18 DNPA Conclave 2025, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw spotlighted the critical role of traditional media in an evolving digital landscape. He emphasized that such gatherings can aid the govt in formulating more effective policies for a balanced and sustainable media ecosystem.
Read MoreIN PHOTOS: At Global Pioneers Summit, visionaries chart the future of business and creativity
From the chiefs of Nestle, Diageo, Colgate, PepsiCo, Zetwerk and CRED to AI visionaries, marketing mavens, top creators, ad legends and leading global agencies' CEOs, the brightest minds converged at the Storyboard18 Global Pioneers Summit for an action-packed day of meaningful dialogues on creativity, commerce and culture.