Meta's APAC chief Dan Neary steps down after more than a decade

Meta’s top executive for the Asia Pacific region, Dan Neary, is stepping down after more than a decade leading the company’s growth across some of its largest and most complex international markets.

“After 12 years at Meta, Dan has decided to leave Meta for personal reasons. Dan's impact on Meta has been extraordinary, and he's built, grown, and led our APAC business to incredible heights, delivering consistently strong results over the years. More than that, Dan has been an exceptional leader for our APAC teams over the years, always putting people first and creating a culture of empowerment and growth, which has not only driven business success but also left a lasting impact on our partners.  We are very grateful for Dan’s leadership and contribution and wish him the very best," a Meta company spokesperson confirmed to Campaign via a statement.

Neary joined Meta (then Facebook) in 2013 and has since been key in expanding its presence across Australia, Greater China, Southeast Asia, and other key markets. Over his tenure, Meta’s platforms—including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp—solidified their presence across much of the region, with user bases and ad revenue in Asia-Pacific growing to account for nearly half of the company’s global reach according to Simon Kemp, chief analyst at DataReportal (via Bloomberg). In markets like Thailand and Indonesia, Facebook has become deeply embedded in daily communication, commerce, and media consumption.

A former executive at Skype and eBay, Neary brought a background in scaling global businesses into his role at Meta, helping shape its regional commercial strategy through a period of intense platform adoption and digital acceleration across emerging markets.

While no official successor has been named, Neary is expected to remain for several months to support the transition.

Neary’s departure comes just as Meta ramps up its push to compete more aggressively with global AI leaders. The tech giant made a sharp turn toward artificial intelligence in recent quarters, with CEO Mark Zuckerberg signalling significant investments into AI infrastructure and tooling across its platforms. His exit marks another shift in Meta’s Asia Pacific leadership at a time when the region remains central to the company’s commercial strategy and long-term growth.