Alexander Lewis
Jan 18, 2024
More than a year after resigning from the position of Meta Platforms chief operating officer (COO), Sheryl Sandberg on Thursday announced her decision to “step away” from the company’s board of directors once her term ends in May.
Announcing the development on Facebook, Sandberg wrote: "Meta business is strong and well-positioned for the future, so this feels like the right time to step away."
While she has decided to step away from her position on the company’s board of directors, Sandberg said she will serve as an adviser to the company.
"With a heart filled with gratitude and a mind filled with memories, I let the Meta board know that I will not stand for reelection this May," she wrote.
Following the announcement, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated that he looks forward to “a new chapter together.”
"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!" he commented on her post.
It should be noted that Sandberg decided to step away after she spent 14 years as the company’s COO and 12 years on its board. She resigned from her Met’s operation chief post in 2022.
Once second-in-command to Zuckerberg, the Harvard University graduate was one of the most visible executives at the company and the lead architect of its often-criticized ads-based business model.
Sandberg has been a staunch defender of Facebook throughout its many controversies, consistently arguing that executives were learning from their mistakes and honing the company's tools to better police against harmful content.
Before joining Facebook, Sandberg was vice president of Global Online Sales and Operations at Google and chief of staff for the United States Treasury Department under former President Bill Clinton.
She is the author of several books, including the 2013 feminist manifesto "Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead".
