Sheryl Sandberg’s Departure from Meta’s Board

Sheryl Sandberg, the former COO of Meta (NASDAQ:META), is bidding adieu to the social media behemoth’s board of directors after a formidable 12-year tenure. “With a heart filled with gratitude and a mind filled with memories, I let the Meta (META) board know that I will not stand for reelection this May,” she wrote in a heartfelt Facebook post, adding that she will continue to serve as an advisor to the company.

“Your dedication and guidance have been instrumental in driving our success and I am grateful for your unwavering commitment to me and Meta (META) over the years,” Zuckerberg replied to the post.

Before donning her role as the vice president of online sales and operations at Google, Sandberg made history as the first woman to join Facebook’s board. In 2008, she assumed the pivotal position of operating chief at the social media giant, alongside CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who played a key role in steering Facebook to meteoric success, with the company’s market cap surpassing $1 trillion in 2021.

But in 2022, Sandberg decided to sever ties with Meta amidst a maelstrom of controversies surrounding data privacy and the dissemination of disinformation linked to the 2016 U.S. elections and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reportedly held accountable by Zuckerberg for the Cambridge Analytica scandal—which saw the unauthorized collection of personal data from Facebook users for political advertising—Sandberg’s exit paved the way for Javier Olivan, Meta’s chief growth officer, to assume the mantle of COO.