Will Cathcart has announced he is stepping down as head of WhatsApp after nearly seven years overseeing the messaging platform’s growth to more than three billion users worldwide.
Cathcart disclosed the decision in social media posts on Monday, saying WhatsApp was in “the strongest position it’s ever been” and that it “felt like the right moment to step back”.
Despite leaving the role, Cathcart will remain within Meta’s leadership structure. Meta has appointed Kunal Shah, founder of Indian fintech company Cred, to lead WhatsApp.
Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg praised the incoming WhatsApp boss, saying Shah had created “one of India’s most important technology companies” through Cred.
He added that the entrepreneur “brings the kind of builder mentality and global perspective that will serve him well in running the world’s biggest messaging app”.
