OpenAI appoints Sandhya Devanathan as VP, Southeast Asia & Australia

OpenAI is set to appoint Sandhya Devanathan as Vice President, Southeast Asia and Australia, strengthening its regional leadership as the artificial intelligence company expands its presence across the Asia-Pacific market.

Based in Singapore, Devanathan will take on a newly created leadership role with responsibility for consumer growth, enterprise adoption, partnerships, regulatory engagement and regional operations across Southeast Asia and Australia.

Her appointment comes as AI adoption accelerates across businesses, technology ecosystems and consumer markets, creating growing demand for regional leadership focused on scaling adoption and building partnerships.

Devanathan joins from Meta

Devanathan joins OpenAI after spending more than a decade at Meta, where she held a series of senior leadership positions across Singapore, Vietnam, India and the wider Asia-Pacific region.

During her tenure at Meta, she led the company’s gaming business for APAC before taking on the role of Vice President and Head of India. She later expanded her mandate to oversee India and Southeast Asia.

Her experience at Meta covered business growth, digital platforms, technology, partnerships and market development across some of the company’s key emerging markets.

More than two decades of leadership experience

Devanathan brings more than two decades of professional experience spanning banking, payments, technology and digital businesses.

Before joining Meta, she held senior leadership positions at Citi and Standard Chartered, building expertise across financial services and technology-led business transformation.

Her career has therefore combined financial services experience with leadership across some of the world’s largest digital technology platforms, positioning her for a role focused on the intersection of AI, technology adoption and regional growth.

Focus on AI adoption across the region

At OpenAI, Devanathan’s mandate will extend beyond business development. She will oversee a broad portfolio covering consumer growth, enterprise adoption, strategic partnerships, regulatory engagement and regional operations.

The role comes at a time when organisations across Southeast Asia and Australia are increasingly exploring AI applications across productivity, customer experience, software development, business operations and other functions.

Her experience leading businesses across diverse markets is expected to support OpenAI’s efforts to deepen engagement with enterprises, consumers, partners and policymakers across the region.

Strengthening OpenAI’s Asia-Pacific leadership

The creation of the Southeast Asia and Australia leadership role reflects the growing strategic importance of the Asia-Pacific region for the global AI industry.

With Singapore serving as Devanathan’s base, her remit will cover markets with rapidly developing digital economies and increasing interest in generative AI and enterprise technology.

Her background across Meta, Citi and Standard Chartered also brings together experience in technology, financial services, consumer platforms and regional business leadership.

A new chapter in regional expansion

Devanathan’s move to OpenAI marks a transition from leading large-scale digital and technology businesses to helping shape the next phase of AI adoption across a diverse regional market.

As OpenAI continues to expand its international footprint, her appointment adds experienced regional leadership to its efforts to grow consumer engagement, accelerate enterprise adoption and build strategic relationships across Southeast Asia and Australia.

The newly created role positions Devanathan at the centre of OpenAI’s regional growth strategy as AI moves from experimentation towards broader adoption across businesses, institutions and consumers.