Who is Arun Srinivas - Meta's new India head and MD?

Meta has announced the appointment of Arun Srinivas as its new managing director and India Head, underscoring the company's focus on strengthening leadership in a rapidly expanding digital economy.

With over 25 years of experience spanning FMCG, tech, mobility, and private equity, Srinivas brings a unique blend of consumer insights and operational leadership to the table. Since joining Meta in 2010, he has held pivotal roles in the company's ads business, most recently as Director and Head of Ads for India.

Also Read: Meta names Arun Srinivas as the Managing Director and Head for India

Academic background

Srinivas holds a PGDM in Marketing from the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta, and a Bachelor's degree in Physics from the University of Madras. He also attended Bhavan's Rajaji Vidyashram and later pursued executive education at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University, focusing on Strategic Customer Management.

Early years

Srinivas began his career in 1996 with Reebok, where he cut his teeth in product management, regional sales, and marketing. His early exposure to brand building and market execution in South India laid a strong foundation in understanding consumer behaviour.

In 2001, he joined Hindustan Unilever (HUL), where he spent more than 15 years in roles of increasing responsibility. From leading regional sales teams to steering major FMCG categories like skin care, beverages, and foods, Srinivas played a key role in shaping strategy and driving growth for household brands including Fair & Lovely, Vaseline, Lakmé, and Knorr. His final role at HUL was Category Vice President for Foods in South Asia, overseeing business across India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.

Pivoting to tech, startups, and strategic investments

Post-HUL, Srinivas entered the investment world with WestBridge Capital as an Operating Advisor. He led the consumer vertical, guiding companies like Vini Cosmetics and Enrich Salons.

In 2019, he moved to Ola, where he served as Chief Operating Officer and Global Chief Marketing Officer. At Ola, he managed the full India P&L and launched new categories and geographies, including the company's successful foray into London's competitive ride-hailing market.

Rise at Meta

Srinivas joined Meta in September 2020 to lead the Global Business Group in India, overseeing relationships with large advertisers and agencies.

In 2022, he was promoted to Head of Ads Business in India, managing sales, solutions, measurement, and creative services across the country's vast ecosystem of advertisers.

Now, as India Head, Srinivas will lead Meta's strategy, operations, and partnerships in one of its top priority markets. India represents not only Meta's largest user base across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, but also a critical testbed for product innovations and business solutions.

Also Read: 'We are in the era of AI-led innovation': Meta's Arun Srinivas