Former Meta operating chief Sheryl Sandberg has revealed via Facebook (where else?) that she is leaving the company’s board of directors in May this year.
“With a heart filled with gratitude and a mind filled with memories, I let the Meta board know that I will not stand for re-election this May,” she wrote on Facebook.
Sandberg joined Meta in 2008 after seven years at Google. She is credited with helping Facebook rise from a startup to one of the most valuable companies in the world.
Her tenure has not been without controversy, however. Facebook was involved in spreading disinformation during the 2016 US election and the 2020 Covid pandemic.
She became a board member of the company in 2012 and was COO until June of last year when she stepped down and was replaced by Javier Olivan.
Since leaving Meta, Sandberg has focused her time on her non-profit organisation LeanIn.org which she set up to support women in the workplace.
Her post read: “I let the Meta board know that I will not stand for reelection this May. After I left my role as COO, I remained on the board to help ensure a successful transition. Under Mark’s leadership, Javi Olivan, Justin Osofsky, Nicola Mendelsohn, and their teams have proven beyond a doubt that the Meta business is strong and well-positioned for the future, so this feels like the right time to step away. Going forward, I will serve as an advisor to the company, and I will always be there to help the Meta teams”.
“Serving as Facebook’s – and then Meta’s – COO for 14 ½ years and a board member for 12 years has been the opportunity of a lifetime. I will always be grateful to Mark for believing in me and for his partnership and friendship; he is that truly once-in-a-generation visionary leader and he is equally amazing as a friend who stays by your side through the good times and the bad”.
Mark Zuckerberg responded, “Thank you Sheryl for the extraordinary contributions you have made to our company and community over the years.”
“Your dedication and guidance have been instrumental in driving our success and I am grateful for your unwavering commitment to me and Meta over the years. I look forward to this next chapter together!”
