Sheryl Sandberg to step down from Meta’s board after 12 years

Sandberg departs from Meta: Sheryl Sandberg, the former chief operating officer of Meta Platforms, has announced her intention to step down from the company's board of directors when her term concludes in May, according to a Facebook post on Wednesday.

In her statement, Sandberg expressed confidence in Meta's business standing and its positioning for the future, deeming it an opportune moment to take this step. She noted that despite leaving the board, she will continue to serve as an adviser to the company.

Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, responded to Sandberg's decision by expressing anticipation for a ‘new chapter together.’ Sandberg's tenure at Meta spanned over 14 years as the chief operating officer and an additional 12 years on the board. In 2022, she stepped down from her role as Meta's operations chief.

Once the second-in-command to Meta's founder, Zuckerberg, Sandberg played a prominent role as one of the company's most visible executives and was instrumental in shaping its often-criticised ads-based business model. She has been a steadfast defender of Meta, addressing the company's various controversies and underlining the learning process from mistakes while enhancing tools to combat harmful content.

Before her time at Meta, Sandberg held major roles such as vice president of Global Online Sales and Operations at Google and chief of staff for the United States Treasury Department during President Bill Clinton's administration. A graduate of Harvard University, Sandberg is also known as the author of several books, including the 2013 feminist manifesto ‘Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead.’

(With Reuters inputs)