Sheryl Sandberg To Leave Meta Board

(RTTNews) - Sheryl Sandberg, former Chief Operating Officer of Facebook parent Meta Platforms, Inc., announced her decision to leave the tech major's Board of Directors after being 12 years in the post.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, Sandberg, 54, said she will not stand for re-election to the Board after her term ends in May. Going forward, she plans to serve as an advisor to the company.

Sandberg joined Mark Zuckerberg's Facebook in 2008 as chief operating officer when it was just a high-flying startup. Sandberg, who has been serving as the second-in-command to Zuckerberg, became a board member in 2012. After 14 years with the company, she resigned as Meta's COO in June 2022, at a time when the company was going through multiple controversies.

In a Facebook post, Sandberg wrote, "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... 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."

According to her, serving as Facebook's and then Meta's COO for 14 1/2 years and a board member for 12 years has been the opportunity of a lifetime.

Responding to the post, Zuckerberg said, "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!"

During Sandberg's tenure, Facebook had grown from being a startup to becoming one of the most valuable companies in the world. Prior to Meta, Sandberg was with Google for about seven years.

Following her resignation from the pivotal role in Meta, Sandberg is more focused on her LeanIn.org non-profit, which aims to empower women in the workplace, and related projects.