- June 22, 2026
CRED Founder Kunal Shah Appointed Global Head Of WhatsApp
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Meta appoints CRED founder Kunal Shah as global head of WhatsApp, replacing Will Cathcart, highlighting a major global role for the Indian entrepreneur.
Shah will transition to the global leadership team at Meta but will retain his personal shareholding in CRED.
Meta has named Indian fintech firm CRED’s founder Kunal Shah as the new global head of WhatsApp, marking one of the most prominent appointments of an Indian entrepreneur in the global technology sector.
The announcement was made by the messaging app’s current head, Will Cathcart, on Monday in a post on X. Cathcart had been leading the messaging platform since 2019.
“Some personal news. After nearly 7 years leading WhatsApp, I’m excited to share who will take over the responsibility of delivering simple, reliable, and private messaging for the world. WhatsApp is in the strongest position it’s ever been — and that felt like the right moment to step back,” Cathcart tweeted. This development comes after CRED announced it will raise about $900 million from Meta.
Some personal news. After nearly 7 years leading WhatsApp, I’m excited to share who will take over the responsibility of delivering simple, reliable, and private messaging for the world. WhatsApp is in the strongest position it’s ever been — and that felt like the right moment to…— Will Cathcart (@wcathcart) June 22, 2026
“Kunal Shah will be WhatsApp’s next leader. He built CRED into one of India’s most important technology companies and has a deep care for the people that rely on our apps. I’m very excited to see what Kunal and our amazing team continue to build. Thank you for the privilege of serving people who rely on WhatsApp everywhere,” he further wrote.
Mark Zuckerberg Praises Shah
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg also announced the appointment in a post on Facebook and praised Shah’s track record as an entrepreneur. “Kunal Shah will join Meta as WhatsApp’s next leader. Kunal built CRED into one of India’s most important technology companies, and he brings the kind of builder mentality and global perspective that will serve him well in running the world’s biggest messaging app. I look forward to working with Kunal to continue to make WhatsApp the best service for billions of people and millions of businesses,” Zuckerberg stated.
‘Looking Forward To Working With Meta Leadership’: Kunal Shah
In a post announcing his transition, Shah talked about the company’s journey since its launch in 2018. Following the leadership change, Miten Sampat, who has headed strategy and finance for the company since 2020, has been appointed as the interim CEO with immediate effect. Shah will transition to the global leadership team at Meta but will retain his personal shareholding in CRED.
“CRED is ready for its next phase. I am stepping back and @miten steps in as interim CEO, partnered with an incredibly talented team…I’m stepping away from the operating role and will continue as a shareholder. My commitment doesn’t change. Just the role,” he wrote.
“As for me, I’ll be joining Meta to lead WhatsApp globally. Meta comes in as a minority investor in CRED. No access to member data. While it’s come very far, the delta between WhatsApp today and its full potential is massive. I look forward to working with Mark, Chris, and the leadership across Meta for the next step in WhatsApp’s journey. Will, thank you for scaling something the world relies on quietly, and for making this transition smooth. Onwards,” he further wrote.
CRED says it now handles more than 40 per cent of India’s credit card bill payments, with nearly 1.7 crore users actively using the platform every month. Its lending business has also expanded significantly, managing assets worth around Rs 24,000 crore.
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