'Doesn't have an IIT-IIM tag': New WhatsApp chief Kunal Shah talks over the internet

Notification of Kunal Shah, as the new CEO of WhatsApp, has caused a wave of reactions online, but not for the reason many would expect.

While the founder CRED is a well-known name in the Indian startup ecosystem, social media users focused on another aspect of his journey – his education. Unlike many of the world’s technology leaders who come from engineering or management institutes, Shah studied philosophy at Mumbai’s Wilson College and later dropped out for an MBA program at the Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS).

Meta recently named Shah as the new head of WhatsApp, succeeding Will Cathcart, who led the messaging platform since 2019. The change in leadership comes as WhatsApp enters a new phase of growth amid Meta’s growing focus on artificial intelligence and consumer technology.

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Kunal Shah graduated in Philosophy from Mumbai’s Wilson College and completed his MBA from Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS).

His appointment is significant because he does not have elite degrees like those from IITs or IIMs, challenging traditional expectations of educational qualifications for top technical positions.

Kunal Shah co-founded FreeCharge, a digital payments platform, and later founded CRED, a fintech company that rewards on-time credit card payments, leading to significant growth and valuation.

Kunal Shah’s journey suggests that hands-on experience and execution can be more important than a prestigious education to achieve entrepreneurial success.

Kunal Shah grew CRED from 0 to 17 million members and achieved significant annual revenue while also previously selling FreeCharge for approximately $450 million.

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Soon after the news broke, social media platforms were flooded with posts highlighting Shah’s unconventional path to one of the most influential jobs in the tech industry.

One user wrote,“Imagine rejecting a candidate because he doesn’t have an IIT or IIM tag. Now imagine the same person leading WhatsApp globally. Credentials open doors. Execution builds empires. Kunal Shah’s journey is a reminder of the difference.”

Another user used the meeting to challenge traditional career assumptions, writing,“Kunal Shah is a humanities graduate. Study humanities to become a true technology leader. Engineering is dead in the age of artificial intelligence.”

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Several users also pointed out Shah’s early struggles and entrepreneurial journey.

“Billionaire founder Kunal Shah didn’t start with elite degrees or massive funding. At 15, he was delivering and selling CDs to pay off his family’s debt after bankruptcy. He didn’t learn BA in Philosophy – Consumer Psychology in the classroom, he learned it on the street,” he added. one post read.

Another user wrote,“He majored in philosophy. He dropped out of his MBA. He started working at 15 to help his family. Today, Meta hired him to lead WhatsApp globally. Meet Kunal Shah — the architect of India’s fintech revolution.”

A fifth user summed up what many people at the meeting found noteworthy:“A boy from Mumbai who chose philosophy over engineering has become the CEO of the world’s largest messaging platform. His name is Kunal Shah.”

A user wrote on X: “Just got to know that Kunal Shah, who will be heading WhatsApp globally, is only a BA in philosophy from Mumbai.

Must be a person who joined a tech company with a BA only. Indian talent now doesn’t even need a lot of education to attract big techies, just being an Indian.

I wish our government would also value our talents as much as foreign companies do.”

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From philosophy student to startup founder

Shah’s educational journey has long stood out in the Indian startup landscape. Coming from a family that was struggling financially, he was unable to obtain an engineering degree. Instead, he enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy program at Wilson College before joining NMIMS for an MBA, which he left before completing.

Over the years, Shah has said in interviews that some of his most valuable lessons have come outside of the classroom.

Rather than the usual corporate route, he went into business. In 2010, he co-founded FreeCharge, a digital payment and mobile recharge platform that gained popularity for its cashback rewards and offers. The company later acquired Snapdeal in a deal reportedly worth between $400 million and $450 million.

In 2018, he launched CRED and expanded the platform from a credit card rewards app to a broader fintech business spanning payments, lending, commerce, insurance and wealth services.

New Bet Meta for WhatsApp

Meta has now put Shah in charge of WhatsApp, which serves more than 3 billion users worldwide. He succeeds Cathcart, who will move to a new role at the consumer AI products company.

But as discussions of the meeting continue online, many users seem less interested in Shah’s new title and more fascinated by the journey that got him there — from a philosophy student and MBA dropout to the person who runs one of the most widely used messaging platforms in the world.