HIGHLIGHTS
- Umang Bedi, MD of Facebook India and South Asia, is leaving the company
- Bedi joined Facebook last year and took over Kirthiga Reddy’s old job
- Sandeep Bhushan has been appointed as interim MD to fill Umang’s position
Umang Bedi, who serves as managing director for India and South Asia region for Facebook, has decided to leave the company, the social juggernaut said on Tuesday. Bedi, who joined Facebook just last July, will stay with the company for another three months for a smoother transition, the company said.
“We confirm that Umang Bedi will be leaving his role and Facebook at the end of this year. He’s built a really strong team and business during his time with us, and we wish him all the best,” a spokesperson for the company told Gadgets 360. With over 180 million active users, India is the second largest market for Facebook.
Sandeep Bhushan, who is the director of consumer and media businesses for South Asia region of Facebook, has been appointed as the interim managing director of Facebook India and South Asia region. Before joining Facebook, Bhushan was the director of Samsung Electronics, and prior to that, he assumed various business roles at news outlets.
Bedi joined Facebook after serving as managing director for India operations for Adobe. He replaced Kirthiga Reddy as the managing director for Facebook India last year. Reddy, who had served that position for more than five years, stepped down amid the company’s ongoing tussle with the Indian regulator over Free Basics. At the time the company said Reddy was planning to change roles for some time.
India’s TRAI banned Free Basics last year, but since then, Facebook has launched Express Wifi, another initiative part of Free Basics program, that brings connectivity to the masses. Over the months, Facebook has been scaling Express Wifi’s reach in the country, bringing it to more villages.
Before joining Adobe, where he oversaw company’s sales and marketing functions as well as outlined strategic partnerships and alliances in the South Asia region, Bedi assumed leadership positions at Sun Microsystems, Symantec, and Intuit.
Sоurсе: gadgets.ndtv.com