Meta has announced a major leadership change at its messaging giant WhatsApp, with longtime chief Will Cathcartstepping down after more than seven years and Indian fintech entrepreneur Kunal Shah taking over the role.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Cathcart will remain with the company and move into a new position focused on developing products from the ground up.
Cathcart, who has overseen WhatsApp’s rapid global expansion since 2019, said the platform is now in its strongest position ever, making it the right time for a leadership transition.
Under Cathcart’s tenure, WhatsApp grew into one of the world’s most widely used messaging services, surpassing 3 billion monthly active users. Meta acquired WhatsApp in 2014 for $19 billion, a deal that was initially questioned by critics but has since become one of the company’s most successful acquisitions.
Taking the helm is Kunal Shah, founder of Indian fintech startup Cred, a platform launched in 2018 that rewards users for timely credit-card bill payments. Zuckerberg praised Shah’s “builder mentality and global perspective,” saying they make him well suited to lead WhatsApp through its next phase of growth.
As part of the leadership announcement, Meta revealed it is investing $900 million in Cred. The investment values the startup at $4.5 billion post-money and strengthens Meta’s presence in India’s rapidly expanding digital payments and technology ecosystem.
The appointment comes as Meta pushes to diversify revenue streams beyond advertising. The company recently began rolling out subscription offerings across WhatsApp, Facebook and Instagram, while also testing premium services tied to its artificial intelligence products.
Shah’s appointment places one of India’s most prominent startup founders at the head of one of the world’s largest communication platforms, highlighting the growing influence of Indian technology leaders on the global stage.
