Former Meta CEO Sheryl Sandberg has announced she is stepping down from the company’s board after more than a decade.
One of the most influential women in Silicon Valley, Sandberg, 54, will step down from the board as the tech giant behind Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram faces increased regulatory scrutiny.
Sandberg said Wednesday that she will not seek re-election once her term ends in May, but will serve as an adviser to the company afterward.
“With a heart full of gratitude and a mind full of memories, I have informed the Meta board that I will not be seeking re-election this May,” Sandberg wrote on Facebook.
“Serving as COO of Facebook – and then Meta – for 14½ years and as a board member for 12 years was the opportunity of a lifetime,” he wrote.
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Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, thanked Sandberg for her work at the social media giant.
“Your dedication and guidance have been instrumental in 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!” Zuckerberg commented on her Facebook post.
Sandberg stepped down as Meta’s COO in June 2022 after a tenure that included helping Facebook steer advertising dominance.
A Harvard-educated executive, Sandberg joined Facebook when it was still a startup, playing a formative and often public role in growing it into a multibillion-dollar advertising empire that acquired Instagram and WhatsApp.
In 2021, the company rebranded as Meta in an effort to focus on its VR vision for the future and overcome its reputation as a scandal-plagued social network facing scrutiny over how it handles privacy and data, as well as accusations that products may harm teenagers, public discourse and democracy.
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Facebook was about four years old in 2008 when Sandberg stepped in as a mature, guiding hand at a tech company with a motto of “move fast and break things.”
Her work has made her not only a recognizable face in tech, but a household name, particularly thanks to her 2013 book Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead.
The best seller encouraged women to “lean in” in their careers to reach their full potential and overcome workforce barriers.
She won applause from fans, who credited her with articulating a modern feminist vision, and sharp criticism from critics who said her high status allowed her to escape the grueling personal costs of juggling career and family.
Source: AFP