Kirthiga Reddy quits Facebook India, company hunts for new MD

Kirthinga Reddy, Managing Director, Facebook India has quit her position recently.  The reports suggest that the first Facebook employee in India will be working from the company’s headquarters at Menlo Park, California.

Reddy joined the social media giant in 2010. She informed about the development through a Facebook post that she plans to relocate to California in next 12 months. Reddy also added that she looks forward to new opportunities available at Menlo Park. MD of emerging markets (Asia Pacific) William Easton along with Dan Neary, vice president of Asia Pacific is searching for next MD along with Reddy.

Facebook’s free basics have received a setback in India after TRAI ruled against the differential pricing in its decision. Facebook’s ambitious plans for India, in which the free basics was an important part, will be changed now. Facebook had nothing more to say other than Kirthiga Reddy’s post when they were contacted for the comments. The statement issued to Reuters said that Reddy was planning to move back to the U.S. to work with the teams at Menlo Park. Kirthiga’s work was not associated to Free Basic campaign in India.

It is indeed surprising that the employee at the level of Kirthga wasn’t involved with Free Basics. The job of managing director is to stay in touch with the government authorities. TRAI’s critical letter to Facebook was a reflection of this mistake. Involving a local leader to take decisions in Facebook’s key growth market was essential.

This is a major development at Facebook since board member and investor Marc Andreessen came under criticism for associating anti-free basics judgement with anti-colonialism. The new successor is expected to get more responsibility in India market. Kirthinga Reddy is true Indian success story as she went on to become Facebook India MD from an average engineering graduate from Nanded.