Meta Platforms officially announced on June 22, 2026, that Kunal Shah, founder of Indian fintech startup CRED, has been appointed as the new global head of WhatsApp.
The appointment comes with a strategic partnership deal. According to Bloomberg, Meta will invest $900 million for a 20% stake in CRED, valuing the company at $4.5 billion.
Shah replaces Will Cathcart, who led WhatsApp for seven years. Cathcart will stay with Meta to lead internal AI laboratories.
Shah will step back from day-to-day management of CRED but retain his majority shareholder status. Meta will not have access to CRED user data.
Though rumors were unconfirmed before the official announcement, Bloomberg and Reuters have verified the appointment and deal details.
