Social media on autopilot: Top four firms running without a head in India

Companies such as Facebook, WhatsApp and Twitter are however finding it extremely difficult to rope in new India heads

India’s social media ecosystem is practically running on autopilot. Four of the country’s top social media platforms — Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp and now LinkedIn — do not have a head in India.

In the last one year, starting with Umang Bedi, who was managing director of Facebook India, the exits of Taranjeet Singh and Akshay Kothari — India heads of Twitter and LinkedIn, respectively — have left the offices of the three firms without a chief. Facebook’s chat messenger WhatsApp is yet take up a local office, team and a top boss in the country.

The information technology ministry, which