Facebook India appoints former IAS officer Rajeev Agarwal as head of public policy
Facebook India on Monday said it has appointed former IAS officer and former Uber executive Rajeev Agarwal as director of public policy. He will replace Ankhi Das, who stepped down in October last year. She was embroiled in a controversy for opposing the enforcement of hate speech rules against right-wing leaders in the country.
In this role, Agarwal will define and lead key policy development initiatives for Facebook in India, including user security, data protection and privacy, inclusion and Internet governance, a statement said.
In this role, Agarwal will report to Ajit Mohan, Vice President and Managing Director, Facebook India and will be part of the Indian leadership team.
His last stint was with Uber, where he was head of public policy for India and South Asia, the statement said. Agarwal comes with 26 years of experience as an Indian Administrative Officer (IAS), and has served as a District Magistrate in nine districts of the state of Uttar Pradesh.
During his tenure as an Administrative Officer, he spearheaded India’s first National Policy on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) as Joint Secretary in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (Ministry of Commerce) and played a key role in the digital transformation . The statement from the IP offices of India said.
Apart from being India’s principal negotiator on IPR with other countries, he has also been associated with the India-US bilateral trade forum, it said.
On the appointment, Ajit Mohan said Facebook is an ally in the exciting economic and social transformation that India is witnessing, with digital playing a central role.
“We realize that we are deeply embedded in the fabric of India and we have the opportunity to help build a more inclusive and secure internet that benefits everyone in the country. I am thrilled that the Rajiv Public Policy team Joining us to lead.
“With his expertise and experience, Rajiv will help further our mission of transparency, accountability, building empowered and safe communities, which we consider our responsibility,” he added.
Agarwal’s appointment follows a series of senior and leadership recruitments in marketing, partnerships, communications and other key verticals in recent months, demonstrating the company’s expansion charter and commitment to India.
Read also: Misinformation on Facebook leads to more engagement with news: Study
Read also: Facebook-backed program to tackle COVID-19 misinformation in India
.