Meta has appointed Indian entrepreneur Kunal Shah as the new head of WhatsApp, as the company seeks to expand its business messaging, payments, and commerce services.
Shah will replace Will Cathcart, who has led WhatsApp since 2019 and is moving into a new product development role within Meta after nearly seven years overseeing the messaging platform.
The appointment comes alongside a $900 million Meta-led investment in CRED, the fintech company founded by Shah in 2018. The deal values CRED at approximately $4.5 billion and will see Shah step down as chief executive while retaining his shareholding in the company.
Under Cathcart’s leadership, WhatsApp introduced features such as Communities, Channels, and AI-powered tools while expanding its business-focused services. However, its payments business has faced competition from rivals in India’s digital payments market.
India remains WhatsApp’s largest market, accounting for more than 500 million users and serving as a key testing ground for Meta’s ambitions in digital payments, online commerce, and business communications.
Meta Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg said Shah’s experience building one of India’s leading technology companies makes him well positioned to lead WhatsApp’s next phase of growth.
The leadership change is targeted at deepening the role of WhatsApp beyond messaging and accelerate growth in payments, commerce, and business services.
