Kunal Shah, founder of CRED, has joined WhatsApp as its new global head, succeeding outgoing chief Will Cathcart in a significant leadership change at Meta-owned messaging platform.
The appointment comes as part of a broader strategic move that also sees Meta invest approximately $900 million (Rs 8,550 crore) in CRED at a valuation of $4.5 billion. As per media reports, the investment gives Meta a minority stake in the fintech company and marks one of the tech giant’s largest bets on India’s startup ecosystem.
Shah announced the development in a LinkedIn post, reflecting on his entrepreneurial journey and describing the opportunity to lead WhatsApp as both humbling and exciting. He said the platform has transformed how billions of people connect, communicate and conduct business, adding that he looks forward to helping shape its next phase of growth.
Following Shah’s move to WhatsApp, CRED’s Chief Strategy and Finance Officer, Miten Sampat, will assume the role of interim CEO, overseeing the fintech company’s operations during the leadership transition.
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg also shared the news on social media, welcoming Shah to the role and highlighting his track record as a founder and product builder. In the same post, Zuckerberg thanked Will Cathcart for his leadership over the past seven years, crediting him with guiding WhatsApp’s growth into one of the world’s most widely used communication platforms.
Cathcart will transition into a new role within Meta, while Shah is expected to assume leadership responsibilities for WhatsApp’s global operations. The move places one of India’s most prominent startup founders at the helm of a platform that serves billions of users worldwide, including its largest user base in India.
