Meta's President of Global Affairs, Nick Clegg, announced on the social media platform Threads that he is stepping down from his role. Reportedly, Clegg's deputy and a prominent Republican, Joel Kaplan, will be taking over the role of Meta’s Chief Global Affairs Officer immediately.
Clegg, who joined Meta (then Facebook) in 2018, was made the president of global affairs in 2022. He said that it was the right time to move on from his role, highlighting how much the company has changed over the years.
In his Threads post, Clegg said:
As a new year begins, I have come to the view that this is the right time for me to move on from my role as President, Global Affairs at Meta. It truly has been an adventure of a lifetime! I am proud of the work I have been able to do leading and supporting teams across the company to ensure innovation can go hand in hand with increased transparency and accountability, and with new forms of governance.
My time at the company coincided with a significant resetting of the relationship between “big tech” and the societal pressures manifested in new laws, institutions and norms affecting the sector. I hope I have played some role in seeking to bridge the very different worlds of tech and politics – worlds that will continue to interact in unpredictable ways across the globe.
Replying to Clegg's post, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said he’s "grateful for everything you’ve done for Meta and the world these past seven years… you’ve made an important impact advancing Meta’s voice and values around the world, as well as our vision for AI and the metaverse. I’m excited for Joel to step into this role given his deep experience and insight leading our policy work for years to come."
Clegg will stay with Meta for a few months to help with the transition, but will no longer lead the department. During his tenure, Clegg made notable assistance in managing concerns about the product's risks to young people and managing challenges like the platform's crackdown in Russia. However, a change from Clegg to Kaplan shows Meta's readiness to navigate a Republican-led government under President-elect Donald Trump.
Joel Kaplan joined Meta in 2011 and has a strong political background including serving in George W. Bush's White House reign. Meta believes that Kaplan's strong political experience will help the company handle societal as well as political pressures better. Kaplan's previous role will now be taken over by Kevin Martin, a former Federal Communications Commission chair.
Source: CNN
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