Kirthiga Reddy, the managing director of Facebook India since 2010, is stepping down from the role for a different one at the gigantic social network.
Facebook’s Managing Director for India Is Leaving Role
Hers are big sales shoes to fill in a key market.
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Reddy announced the news on her Facebook page on Friday. She said she would be active in the search for her successor and has “begun to explore new opportunities” at Facebook’s Menlo Park, Calif., headquarters.
Her departure caps off a rough week for Facebook as it fights off turmoil around Free Basics, its mobile data service that was banned in the country on Monday. Reddy was India’s sales lead, heading a group distinct from its Free Basics effort, and her change was not related to the mobile data initiative, according to someone familiar with the company.
Still, the drama around Free Basics may risk damaging Facebook’s reputation as it works with media and advertising partners in the country, Facebook’s largest potential growth market. A Facebook rep said the company has not yet named her replacement.
Prior to Facebook, Reddy was the India director for Motorola. She also spent time in product engineering roles at tech pioneers Silicon Graphics and Good Technology.
Update: A Facebook rep sends this over: “As she had planned for some time, Kirthiga Reddy is moving back to the U.S. to work with the teams in Headquarters. We are extremely proud of the work she has done to grow our global sales business in India. During her time in India, Kirthiga was not involved in our Free Basic Services efforts.”
This article originally appeared on Recode.net.
