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{{short description|Indian businesswoman and Managing Director at Facebook India}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Kirthiga Reddy
| image = Krithiga Reddy.png
| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1971}}
| birth_place = [[Chennai]], [[India]]
| occupation = Venture Partner<br />[[SoftBank Group]]
| parents =
| spouse = Devanand Reddy
| children = 2 daughters
| networth =
}}

'''Kirthiga Reddy''' (born c.1971) is an Indian businesswoman and venture partner for [[SoftBank Group|SoftBank]]'s US$100 billion Vision Fund.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/12/07/softbank-vision-fund-kirthiga-reddy/ |title=Ex-Facebook exec Kirthiga Reddy becomes first female investing partner at SoftBank's Vision Fund |date=7 December 2018 |publisher=[[TechCrunch]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://visionfund.com/team/kirthiga-reddy |title=Kirthiga Reddy - Venture Partner, Americas |accessdate=11 July 2019 |publisher=[[SoftBank Group]]}}</ref> Reddy is SoftBank's first female investing partner and the former managing director of [[Facebook]] India.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://fortune.com/2019/06/05/softbank-kirthiga-reddy-mpw/ |title=SoftBank Partner: Fundraising 'Environment Has Changed' |date=5 June 2019 |publisher=[[Fortune (magazine)|Fortune]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/tech-news/Facebook-Indias-managing-director-Kirthiga-Reddy-steps-down/articleshow/50965733.cms |title=Facebook India's managing director Kirthiga Reddy steps down |date=12 February 2016 |work=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Facebook India head Kirthiga Reddy steps down |url=http://www.thehindu.com/business/facebook-india-head-kirthiga-reddy-steps-down/article8231825.ece |date=13 February 2016 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref>

She has the distinction of being the first employee of the social media giant in India and has been one of the leading forces behind the company's expansive growth in the country.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-02-04/news/47004798_1_facebook-india-user-base-kirthiga-reddy|title=Buying likes is not a valid business model: Kirthiga Reddy, FB India head|newspaper=Economic Times|accessdate=4 February 2014}}</ref>

In 2011, she became Fortune India's Top 50 Most Powerful Women and also has been placed among India's 25 most influential women.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1121117/jsp/business/story_16204432.jsp|title=''Fortune'' lists women in power|work=telegraphindia.com|accessdate=5 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/gallery/indias-25-most-influential-women/23/8871.html|title=India's 25 most influential women|publisher=India Today}}</ref>

== Career ==
Reddy grew up in India. Born to middle-class parents, her father was a government employee. She finished her Bachelors in Computer Science and Engineering from [[Mahatma Gandhi Mission's College of Engineering and Technology|MGM'S College of Engineering]], Nanded under [[Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University]], Maharashtra and stood second.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirthiga|title=Kirthiga Reddy - LinkedIn|work=linkedin.com|accessdate=5 July 2016}}</ref> After her graduation, she moved to [[Nagpur]] along with her parents and then briefly worked helping [[Yashavant Kanetkar]] with the programming examples in his books to illustrate key concepts.<ref name=ET>{{cite web|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/creating-your-own-choices-is-the-way-to-excel-in-personal-and-professional-matters/articleshow/48955241.cms|title=Creating your own choices is the way to excel in personal and professional matters|accessdate=14 September 2015}}</ref> She then moved to [[United States]] and did her Master's in business administration from [[Stanford University]] and an M.S. in computer engineering from [[Syracuse University]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://businesstoday.intoday.in/story/young-business-leaders-kirthiga-reddy-facebook/1/15083.html|title=Kirthiga Reddy: The face behind Facebook- Business News|work=intoday.in|accessdate=5 July 2016}}</ref>

Reddy has worked with established companies such as [[Silicon Graphics]] and [[Motorola]]. During her tenure at Silicon Graphics, she was the youngest director of engineering and the only woman at that level in her team. In 2008, Reddy moved back to India and started working with the US-based [[Phoenix Technologies]].<ref name=ET /><ref name=IT>{{cite web|url=http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/kirthiga-reddy-facebook-india-education-women-leaders/1/159488.html|title=Face to face with Kirthiga Reddy|publisher=India Today|author=Gunjeet Sra|accessdate=11 November 2011}}</ref>

In July 2010, Reddy Joined [[Facebook]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.medianama.com/2010/07/223-facebook-appoints-kirthiga-reddy-as-head-of-indian-operations/|title=Facebook Appoints Kirthiga Reddy As Head Of Indian Operations|publisher=Medianama.com|accessdate=16 July 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businesstoday.in/cover-story/young-business-leaders-kirthiga-reddy-facebook/story/15083.html|title=Digital diva|publisher=Business Today|author=E. Kumar Sharma|accessdate=15 May 2011}}</ref> As the first employee of the company in the country, not only did she start the India operations from scratch but also had to actually open the office shutters on day one. Under her leadership, Facebook India has managed to not only grow its user base but also made significant contribution to its global business through ad sales with major tie-ups like [[The Coca-Cola Company|Coca-Cola India]] and [[Yepme]].<ref name=ET />

A day after shutting down 'Free Basics' scheme in India, Reddy announced her decision to step down from her post and relocate to the [[United States]] in six to twelve months.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.firstpost.com/business/kirthiga-reddy-steps-down-as-facebook-india-managing-director-2624050.html|title=Kirthiga Reddy steps down as Facebook India managing director|publisher=Firstpost|accessdate=12 February 2016}}</ref><ref name="The Indian Express 2016">{{cite web | title=Facebook says India MD Kirthiga Reddy's US move not linked with Free Basics | website=The Indian Express | date=14 February 2016 | url=http://indianexpress.com/article/technology/tech-news-technology/facebook-india-head-kirthiga-reddy-step-down-not-free-basics/ | accessdate=5 July 2016}}</ref>

On 12 February 2016, In her post in Facebook, she wrote: <blockquote>"When my family relocated to India, we knew that we would move back to the US some day. It's a bittersweet moment to share that the return timeframe is coming up in the next 6-12 months. Our two daughters start high school and middle school this coming year— which serves as a natural transition point to make this move back"</blockquote>

== Personal life==
She is married to her husband Dev and has two daughters - Ashna and Ariya.<ref name=ET /> Ashna is starting 10th grade in 2017. Ariya is starting 7th grade in 2017.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Reddy, Kirthiga}}
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1970s births]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Chennai]]
[[Category:Businesswomen from Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Facebook employees]]
[[Category:Stanford Graduate School of Business alumni]]
[[Category:Syracuse University alumni]]
[[Category:Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University alumni]]

Kirthiga Reddy - Revision history

imported>Citation bot at 12:11, 25 December 2020