In brief
Meta announced that WhatsApp’s long‑time head Will Cathcart will step down, with Indian fintech entrepreneur Kunal Shah taking the reins. Shah, who launched the Bengaluru‑based payments firm Cred, will bring his maker mindset and global outlook to the messaging app. A recent Meta investment of $900 million in Cred earned the company a 20 % stake, but the tech giant will not have access to user data. As WhatsApp continues to grow, the shift aims to strengthen the app’s position in India’s crowded market while navigating privacy scrutiny.
Will Cathcart, who led Meta’s popular messaging platform for almost seven years, has announced that he will be stepping down as chief executive of WhatsApp.
In a series of tweets on Monday, Cathcart said that the app was in the strongest position it has ever been and that it was the right time for him to hand over the reins. He will remain a part of Meta’s leadership team.
Founder of the Bengaluru‑based fintech company Cred, Kunal Shah, will take over the role. Mark Zuckerberg praised Shah, calling Cred one of India’s most important technology companies and highlighting his builder mentality and global perspective as key for running the world’s biggest messaging app.
Cred’s funding journey began in 2018, and before launching, Shah served as an investor and advisor to several startups across India and Southeast Asia. He confirmed on LinkedIn that he will continue to share in Cred’s 900‑million‑dollar stake through Meta while taking on WhatsApp’s top role.
A Bloomberg report noted that Meta’s investment will give the tech giant a 20 % ownership in Cred but it will not have access to member data.
WhatsApp, part of Meta’s “family of apps,” is a daily staple in India, with roughly 853 million users. The app has recently faced scrutiny over its privacy practices, particularly its data sharing with Meta. The new leadership is expected to address these concerns while pushing for growth and new revenue streams such as ads, subscriptions and AI tools.
