Sheryl Sandberg to Exit Meta’s Board after 12 years

Meta Platforms' former chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg, plans to step down from her position on the company's board of directors after her term ends in May, she said in a Facebook post on Jan 17.

"Meta business is strong and well-positioned for the future, so this feels like the right time to step away," Sandberg said in the post, adding that she will serve as an adviser to the company.

Responding to Sandberg, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said he looks forward to "a new chapter together".

Sandberg's decision came after 12 years on the board. She was also the company's chief operating officer for more than 14 years until 2022. Once second-in-command to founder Zuckerberg, Sandberg 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, insisting that executives are learning from their mistakes and praising the company and its tools for better controlling bad news.

Before joining Facebook, Sandberg was vice president of global marketing and Internet operations at Google and chief of staff at the US Treasury Department under former President Bill Clinton. Sandberg, a graduate of Harvard University, is the author of several books, including the 2013 Feminist Manifesto and "Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead."