Meta Invests ₹8,550 Crore In Cred, Names Kunal Shah As New WhatsApp Chief

Meta Platforms has announced a major strategic move in India, investing ₹8,550 crore ($900 million) in fintech startup Cred and appointing its founder Kunal Shah as the next head of WhatsApp. The deal gives Meta a nearly 20% stake in the Bengaluru-based company and values Cred at around ₹42,600 crore ($4.5 billion).

Kunal Shah Replaces Long-Time WhatsApp Head

As part of the leadership transition, Shah will take over from Will Cathcart, who has led WhatsApp for about seven years and oversaw a period of significant global expansion for the messaging platform.

Reacting to his appointment, Shah said: "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."

The appointment marks one of the most prominent leadership roles held by an Indian entrepreneur within Meta's global operations.

What Lies Ahead For Will Cathcart

Although stepping down as WhatsApp chief, Cathcart will remain within Meta. According to Bloomberg News, he is expected to move into a new role focused on consumer applications and products powered by artificial intelligence.

Meta has not revealed details of the project he will lead. Bloomberg reported that the company declined to provide additional information regarding Cathcart's next assignment.

During his tenure, WhatsApp's user base more than doubled, helping the platform strengthen its position as one of the world's most widely used messaging services.

Shah To Drive WhatsApp's Future Growth

WhatsApp crossed 3 billion monthly active users in 2025 and continues to be one of Meta's most important products. The company is increasingly focusing on expanding revenue streams through advertising, subscriptions and AI-powered services on the platform.

Those efforts will now be overseen by Shah, who founded Cred and built it into one of India's most recognised fintech companies. Meta Chief Product Officer Chris Cox reportedly played a key role in recruiting Shah, seeking an entrepreneur from a market where WhatsApp already enjoys deep adoption.

India remains WhatsApp's largest market, with hundreds of millions of users relying on the platform for personal and business communication.

Cox described Shah as "one of India's most respected entrepreneurs and a prolific voice for how the apps we build make a positive difference in people's lives."

Shah currently resides in Bengaluru but is expected to relocate to California's Bay Area and work from Meta's headquarters in Menlo Park.

Zuckerberg Backs New WhatsApp Leadership

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg welcomed Shah's appointment and highlighted his entrepreneurial background.

"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."

The investment also reflects a broader strategy employed by Meta in recent years, where strategic investments have doubled as a means of attracting high-profile technology leaders.

Last year, the company invested more than $14 billion in Scale AI and subsequently brought founder Alexandr Wang on board to lead Meta's newly established artificial intelligence lab, signalling a similar approach to talent acquisition through investment partnerships.