Meta is losing its longtime head of infrastructure

In Brief Posted: 12:12 PM PST · November 11, 2026 Lucas Ropek Meta is losing its longtime head of infrastructure A key figure in Meta’s growth into a social media and tech industry powerhouse is leaving the company. Santosh Janardhan, the company’s longtime head of infrastructure and co-head of engineering, will be stepping down, Meta told TechCrunch. He will be replaced by Dave Brown, who joined the company as vice president of infrastructure earlier this year, the company added. Previous to coming aboard at Meta, Brown spent 19 years at Amazon, where he focused on compute, cloud, and AI, his LinkedIn shows . It sounds like Janardhan will remain at Meta for a little bit, although he is expected to leave next year. “Santosh will stay on for transition and he is moving into an advisory role on Meta Compute,” said a Meta representative. Janardhan, who originally joined the company in 2009, helped the firm grow into the massive internet presence that it is today. Bloomberg originally reported Janardhan’s departure, citing an internal memo that had recently been circulated. It’s unclear why Janardhan is stepping down from the role. The memo did not specify the reasons for his departure and Meta didn’t immediately respond to a request for clarity on the issue. However, Janardhan’s memo apparently cited the need to “pass the baton.” In recent years, the company’s investment in infrastructure has exploded , as it seeks to keep up with its competitors in the AI race. Earlier this year, Janardhan was tasked with leading Meta Compute , the company initiative to scale its data center investments and strategy. Topics AI , AI , compute , infrastructure , Meta , social media 2027 San Francisco Get an Early Peek at the Next TechCrunch Disrupt Disrupt, Startup Battlefield, and more will return next year, and you can be at the front of the line. Sign up for our waitlist Register Now Newsletters See More Subscribe for the industry’s biggest tech news TechCrunch Daily News Every weekday and Sunday, you can get the best of TechCrunch’s coverage. TechCrunch Mobility TechCrunch Mobility is your destination for transportation news and insight. Startups Weekly Startups are the core of TechCrunch, so get our best coverage delivered weekly. StrictlyVC Provides movers and shakers with the info they need to start their day. No newsletters selected. Subscribe By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . Related Social X launches its own clipping feature to spur influencer engagement Lucas Ropek 20 hours ago AI Meta’s AI agent Muse lands on Apple Watch and Android Wear OS Aisha Malik 1 day ago Media & Entertainment Jensen Huang’s alleged honeypot scandal has inspired some top-notch memes Dominic-Madori Davis Lucas Ropek 2 days ago Latest in AI AI Why the data center you dread might never even be built Theresa Loconsolo Rebecca Bellan Tim De Chant 27 minutes ago 31 min In Brief Meta is losing its longtime head of infrastructure Lucas Ropek 30 minutes ago Government & Policy How backlash and red tape continue to slow data centers post-Blue Wave Theresa Loconsolo Rebecca Bellan Tim De Chant 40 minutes ago