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Key Points

Meta India's public policy head Shivnath Thukral is stepping down after nearly eight years with the company. He played a crucial role in shaping the tech giant's regulatory strategy in India, including during its transition from Facebook to Meta. Thukral expressed confidence in his team's ability to continue the work without him, calling them the "best in business." His departure comes just months after being promoted to VP of India Public Policy in March 2024.

Key Points: Meta India Policy Head Shivnath Thukral Steps Down After 7 Years

  • Thukral led Meta India's policy strategy for 7.5 years
  • Oversaw WhatsApp India policy before promotion
  • Resigns as VP amid stable regulatory footing
  • Praises team as "best in business"
2 min read

Meta India's public policy head Shivnath Thukral steps down

Meta India's public policy leader Shivnath Thukral resigns after shaping key regulatory discussions for 7.5 years, leaving behind a strong team.

"It is not an easy decision... I feel confident our policy engagement is at a credible juncture. – Shivnath Thukral"

New Delhi, June 11

Meta India’s public policy head Shivnath Thukral is stepping down from his role to “pursue new opportunities”, US-based tech giant said on Wednesday.

In a statement to IANS, Kevin Martin, VP, Head of Global Policy, Meta, said as a member of the India leadership team, “he (Thukral) played a key role in navigating and shaping policy and regulatory conversations and engagements that were critical for the industry and Meta in India over the last 7.5 years”.

“We thank him for his leadership and contributions, and wish him well in his future endeavours," Martin added.

Thukral joined Meta (then called Facebook) in 2017 and served in multiple policy roles. He was appointed director of public policy for Meta India in November 2022, following the exit of Rajiv Aggarwal.

Prior to that, Thukral served as director of public policy at WhatsApp India for about four years. He was elevated as Meta's vice-president for public policy in March 2024.

"It is not an easy decision to make but I feel very confident that our policy engagement with stakeholders is at a credible and constructive juncture and we can only build further on that," Thukral said in a LinkedIn post.

"There is always more to do and I know the team is well equipped to navigate the waters well. Having helped build some of the systems and processes, I do feel it is a good time to let the engine and the team work on their own," he added.

He will step down from Meta as the VP of India Public Policy at the end of this month.

“I do feel it is a good time to let the engine and the team work on their own. As my next journey begins, I want to recognise the work of my team which is the best in business and one of the reasons why this is such a difficult decision for me. I love their hunger and eagerness to keep me on my toes,” said Thukral.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

A
Arjun K.
Big shoes to fill! Thukral did commendable work navigating India's complex tech policy landscape. Hope Meta finds someone equally capable who understands both global tech and Indian realities. The next few years will be crucial with the Digital India Bill coming up.
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Priya M.
Interesting timing 👀 This comes just when Indian government is tightening regulations on social media. Maybe he saw the writing on the wall? Meta has had several run-ins with our IT Ministry lately. Tough job being the middleman between Silicon Valley and Delhi!
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Rahul S.
His LinkedIn post sounds very diplomatic. In reality, managing policy for foreign tech firms in India is like walking on eggshells these days. Between data localization demands and content moderation pressures, it's a high-stress role. Wishing him the best for his next chapter!
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Neha T.
7.5 years is a good innings! He saw Facebook become Meta and WhatsApp payments struggle with RBI compliance. Hope his successor pushes for more India-first policies rather than just adapting global templates. Our digital ecosystem needs customized solutions 🇮🇳
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Vikram J.
Respectfully, Meta's policy team could do better in addressing misinformation in regional languages. Hope the new leadership focuses more on ground realities beyond Delhi/NCR circles. India's internet users are mostly non-English speaking - policies should reflect that.
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Sanjana P.
Wonder if he'll join another tech giant or maybe even a startup? With his experience, he'd be perfect for helping Indian companies navigate global markets too. The talent churn in Big Tech India leadership is real - so many exits lately! 🤔

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