The Burnout Behind Big Tech's Communications Exodus

After nine years building Meta's communications playbook across Asia Pacific, Bridgit O'Donovan has [stepped down](https://www.marketing-interactive.com/meta-apac-head-of-communications-product-and-partnership-steps-down). The departure is quiet in tone but loud in signal. O'Donovan spent four-plus years as Meta's APAC head of communications, product and corporate, leading the regional comms team across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Threads, Edits and Meta AI. Before that, she joined as Facebook's APAC communications manager in 2017. That's a long run in a role that essentially never slows down. Her reason for leaving is deliberately human. Approaching her 50th birthday, she says she wants more time for family, community-building, and, as she put it, "the wholly underrated experience of having fun at work." ### What She Actually Built at Meta O'Donovan didn't just manage press calls. She helped move Meta APAC away from traditional media pitching toward social-first storytelling and creator-led communications. She also led the team through some of the hardest chapters in tech history: privacy crises, integrity controversies, regulatory battles, and the emergence of AR/VR and AI products. That kind of communications work is genuinely difficult. Southeast Asia has 129% mobile penetration compared to a global average of 115%. That means every crisis, every product launch, every policy debate plays out faster and louder here than almost anywhere else. Navigating that, for nearly a decade, takes a toll. ### Meta's Talent Drain Isn't New What makes this departure notable is the pattern it fits into. O'Donovan is not an isolated case. Dan Neary, Meta's APAC chief for 12 years, [left in 2025](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-03-27/meta-s-asia-pacific-chief-quits-after-a-decade-long-growth-spurt). Simon Milner, who led public policy across the region for eight years, also departed. John Pinette, Meta's global communications head, stepped down too. These are decade-plus veterans choosing to leave rather than stay. Meta is backfilling internally. Benjamin Joe, a 14-year company veteran, was promoted to Regional VP for Asia Pacific from July 2025. Sandhya Devanathan's India role was expanded to cover Southeast Asia. At the country level, Darryn Lim was named Singapore communications lead and Lau Sook Ping, formerly of L'Oreal, joined as Malaysia country director. The bench is being built, but it is being built quietly. Meta also [posted a VP, Communications, APAC role](https://www.metacareers.com/jobs/697885066604029) in Singapore immediately after O'Donovan's exit. The position remains unfilled. ### The Bigger Picture for Comms Leaders in Asia This isn't just a Meta story. [APCO Worldwide's 2026 Communications and Leadership Outlook](https://apcoworldwide.com/blog/looking-ahead-a-2026-communications-and-leadership-outlook/) notes that the average global CEO tenure is now 6.8 years, the lowest since 2018. It also found that 69% of business leaders have dealt with a corporate crisis in the past five years. That is the environment senior communications professionals are working in, and increasingly walking away from. Add to that Meta's announcement on April 23 of a [10% global workforce reduction](https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/23/tech/meta-layoffs-10-percent-staff-ai) affecting roughly 8,000 people, with APAC marketing and creative teams among those hit. That news landed just days after O'Donovan's departure was announced. The timing speaks for itself. O'Donovan's next chapter is two things. One is The Lazy Dumpling, a walking tour series in Singapore focused on women's history. The other is a community helping women build practical AI skills and confidence. Both are a long way from crisis communications and regulatory negotiation. For marketing and communications leaders across Asia, her exit is a useful mirror. The comms function is more complex than it has ever been. [Forrester projects Asia Pacific tech spending to grow 9.3% in 2026](https://www.biztechreports.com/news-archive/2026/4/10/asia-pacific-tech-spending-expected-to-grow-93-in-2026-but-rising-costs-and-regulations-will-impact-real-growth-forrester-april-13-2026), but rising costs and tightening regulations will put real pressure on the people managing those narratives. The demand for senior regional comms talent is high. Netflix [appointed Joy Albert](https://www.campaignasia.com/article/move-and-win-roundup-week-of-february-23-2026/4pwfxb2vfw62g79g792hrfvn5c) as VP of Communications for Asia Pacific in February 2026. The competition for this kind of experience is real. The question is whether big tech can hold onto it.