Meta is changing the leadership of its infrastructure and engineering work as it continues to expand its data center strategy. Santosh Janardhan, a longtime company leader who joined in 2009, is stepping down from his role. Dave Brown, who joined Meta as vice president of infrastructure earlier this year, will replace him.
A leadership handoff with a transition period
Janardhan will remain at Meta for a period to support the change. A Meta representative said, “Santosh will stay on for transition and he is moving into an advisory role on Meta Compute.” He is expected to leave the company next year.
The announcement describes a change in responsibilities rather than an immediate departure. Brown will take over the infrastructure leadership role, while Janardhan’s advisory position will keep him connected to Meta Compute during the handoff.
Meta has not publicly explained why Janardhan is stepping down. The internal memo cited in reporting did not give a reason, and the company did not immediately respond to a request for clarification. The memo apparently referred to the decision as a need to “pass the baton.”
Brown brings infrastructure experience from Amazon
Brown joined Meta earlier this year as vice president of infrastructure. Before coming to Meta, he spent 19 years at Amazon, where his work focused on compute, cloud, and AI, according to his LinkedIn profile.
That background gives Brown experience in areas relevant to Meta’s infrastructure responsibilities. The company’s announcement identifies him as Janardhan’s replacement, but does not describe any changes to the team’s priorities or how Brown plans to approach the role.
Infrastructure is central to Meta Compute
Janardhan’s departure comes as Meta’s infrastructure investment has grown in recent years. The company is seeking to keep up with competitors in the AI race, and the scale of its data center plans has become a major part of that effort.
Earlier this year, Janardhan was tasked with leading Meta Compute, an initiative to scale the company’s data center investments and strategy. His move into an advisory role on Meta Compute means the handoff is taking place while that initiative remains part of his responsibilities during the transition.
Data center investment and infrastructure leadership are closely linked in Meta’s plans: the company needs to make decisions about the scale and strategy of its facilities as it pursues AI ambitions. The source does not specify what investment decisions are underway or how Brown’s appointment will affect them, so the leadership change alone does not establish a new direction.
What the company has and has not said
The information announced so far sets out the key elements of the handoff: Brown will replace Janardhan, Janardhan will help with the transition, and he is expected to leave next year after taking an advisory role on Meta Compute. It does not identify a specific reason for his decision to step down.
That leaves the immediate significance of the change focused on continuity. Meta is changing who leads infrastructure while retaining Janardhan’s involvement for the transition. How Brown will shape the company’s infrastructure and data center strategy remains to be seen.