MAM
Sheryl Sandberg logs out from Meta after 14 years
Mumbai : Sheryl Sandberg has decided to step down from her position as a chief operating officer at Meta, ending a stint of 14 years at the tech major- the parent organisation of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, among other subsidiaries. Sandberg will leave the company this fall, after transitioning her direct reports over the next few months. She will, however, continue to serve on Meta’s board of directors.
Announcing on her Facebook page, Sandberg wrote a detailed, candid post about her time at the networking conglomerate. She also shared anecdotes of her initial struggles and work-life there, even as she recounted the highs and lows of her personal life during the period.
Today, I am sharing the news that after 14 years, I will be leaving Meta, she wrote. Talking about her initial days at the company, formerly called Facebook, Sandberg penned, “When I first met Mark, I was not looking for a new job – and I could have never predicted how meeting him would change my life. We were at a holiday party at Daniel L Rosensweig’s house. I was introduced to Mark as I walked in the door, and we started talking about his vision for Facebook. I had tried Facebook, as it was first called, but still thought the internet was a largely anonymous place to search for funny pictures. Mark’s belief that people would put their real selves online to connect with other people was so mesmerising that we stood by that door and talked for the rest of the night.”
Sandberg also touched upon the ongoing debate around privacy concerns in social media in her post, saying, “The products we make have a huge impact, so we have the responsibility to build them in a way that protects the privacy and keeps people safe.”
Talking about her future plans, she continued further, “When I took this job in 2008, I hoped I would be in this role for five years. Fourteen years later, it is time for me to write the next chapter of my life. I am not entirely sure what the future will bring – I have learned no one ever is. But I know it will include focusing more on my foundation and philanthropic work, which is more important to me than ever given how critical this moment is for women.”
“Over the next few months, Mark and I will transition my direct reports and I will leave the company this fall. I still believe as strongly as ever in our mission, and I am honoured that I will continue to serve on Meta’s board of directors,” she added.
Calling it “The end of an era”, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg responded to Sandberg’s post, writing: In the 14 years we’ve worked together, you’ve architected our ads business, hired great people, forged our management culture, and taught me how to run a company. I’m going to miss working alongside you every day, but grateful to have you as a lifelong friend.
“Thank you for all you’ve done for me and my family, for our company, and millions of people around the world. You’re a superstar,” he further added.
Prior to joining Facebook in 2008 as its COO, Sandberg was vice president of global online sales and operations at Google.
MUMBAI: In India’s fast-moving payments race, Visa has just swiped in a new leader. The company has named Suresh Sethi as its India country head, marking a key leadership shift as it sharpens its focus on digital payments growth in the market. Sethi steps into the role following his recent exit from Protean eGov Technologies, where he served as chief executive officer. He succeeds Sandeep Ghosh, who has moved on after more than four years at Visa to pursue an external opportunity.
The appointment comes at a time when Visa is doubling down on its expansion strategy across India and the wider region, deepening partnerships and accelerating adoption in an increasingly competitive digital payments ecosystem.
Sethi brings with him a broad, cross-market perspective shaped by decades of experience across corporate banking, retail financial services, mobile money and large-scale government technology initiatives. He began his career at Citigroup, where he spent 14 years working across India, Africa, South America and the United States, focusing on transaction banking services within the corporate bank.
His appointment signals a blend of institutional experience and market familiarity qualities that could prove critical as Visa navigates a landscape where fintech innovation, regulatory evolution and consumer adoption are all accelerating at once.
As digital payments in India continue to scale rapidly, the leadership change underscores a simple reality, in a market where every tap, scan and swipe counts, who leads the charge can matter just as much as the technology itself.
