Meta appoints ex-Tata Cliq chief Vikas Purohit as director of India’s global business group

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, has announced the appointment of Vikas Purohit as director of the company’s global business group in India. Purohit joins the company from domestic e-commerce firm Tata Cliq, where he served as its chief executive. Purohit will report to Arun Srinivas, director and head of Meta’s India advertisements business.

The appointment comes following a series of high-profile exits from Meta India, including ex-India head Ajit Mohan, ex-WhatsApp India head Abhijit Bose, ex-Meta public policy head Rajiv Aggarwal, and ex-head of WhatsApp Pay, Vinay Choletti.

Since then, Meta has appointed Sandhya Devanathan, previously vice-president of gaming for Asia-Pacific at Meta itself, to head its India business. Devanathan assumed office on January 1.

Purohit, who has over two decades of experience, has previously helmed retail at Reliance Brands before joining Tata Cliq as chief operating officer — subsequently becoming the chief executive of the company.

His role at Meta will include building a “strategic relationship with the country’s leading brands and agencies to drive Meta’s revenue growth across key channels in India, as well as partner with the media and creative ecosystems for accelerating adoption of digital tools by the largest advertisers and agencies,” the company said in a statement.

Srinivas, whom Purohit will report to, said in a statement, “Meta is committed to enabling economic opportunities for businesses, and this charter is more important than ever as we navigate global economic headwinds. India’s largest businesses and agencies are playing a crucial role in the country’s expanding digital economy and are building innovative business models that are inspiring marketers globally. I am thrilled to welcome Vikas as he joins our team to shape the role that Meta platforms can play in enabling businesses, supporting India’s economic growth, and building the digital advertising ecosystem of the country.”

The appointment comes at a tumultuous time for Meta globally, in a period that has seen the company report a drop in its ad revenues for the first time, leading to an erosion of its value. Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg also announced the layoff of 11,000 employees, on the back of falling ad revenues at the company.