Facebook India appoints former IAS officer Rajiv Aggarwal as Head of Public Policy

Facebook India on Monday said it has appointed ex-IAS officer and former Uber executive Rajiv Aggarwal as the Director of Public Policy.

He succeeds Ankhi Das, who quit in October last year. She was embroiled in a controversy for opposing enforcement of hate-speech rules against right-wing leaders in the country. Aggarwal, in this role, will define and lead important policy development initiatives for Facebook in India on an agenda that covers user safety, data protection and privacy, inclusion and internet governance, a statement said.

In this role, Aggarwal will report to Ajit Mohan, Vice President and Managing Director of Facebook India, and will be a part of the India leadership team, it added.

His last assignment was with Uber, where he was the Head of Public Policy for India and South Asia, the statement said.

Aggarwal comes with 26 years of experience as an Indian Administrative Officer (IAS), and has worked as a District Magistrate in nine districts across the state of Uttar Pradesh.

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During his tenure as an administrative officer, he steered India’s first ever-national policy on Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) as Joint Secretary in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (M/o Commerce), and was instrumental in the digital transformation of India’s IP offices, the statement said.

He has been closely associated with the India-US bilateral trade forum, besides being India’s lead negotiator on IPRs with other nations, it added.

On the appointment, Ajit Mohan said Facebook is an ally for the exciting economic and social transformation that India is witnessing, with digital playing a central role. “We realise we are deeply immersed in the fabric of India and we have the opportunity to help build a more inclusive and safe internet that benefits everyone in the country. I’m thrilled that Rajiv is joining us to lead the Public Policy team. With his expertise and experience, Rajiv will help further our mission to build transparency, accountability, empowered and safe communities, all of which we recognize as our responsibility,” he added.

Aggarwal’s appointment comes after a series of senior and leadership recruitments in recent months across marketing, partnerships, communications, and other key verticals demonstrating the company’s expanding charter and commitment to India.