Mark Zuckerberg loses his right arm

Sheryl Sandberg served 12 years on Meta's board of directors and 14 years as chief operating officer. Photo: REUTERS

Sheryl Sandberg has announced she will step down as director of Meta this year after 12 years on the social media giant's board.

One of the most influential women in the technology industry, Ms. Sandberg joined Meta and then Facebook when it was a promising Internet startup, which helped grow it into one of the largest companies in the world.

54 Ms. Sandberg, 18, said that “it seems like now is the time to go” and will leave. my role as director, but continues to serve as a consultant.

“With a heart filled with gratitude and a mind filled with memories, I informed the Meta board that I will not be running for re-election this May,” she wrote Ms. Sandberg on Facebook.

“In the future, I will be an advisor to the company and will always be there to help the meta teams.”

She added that business was “good.” focused on the future.»

Mark Zuckerberg (center) with Ms. Sandberg when Facebook went public in 2012 . Photo: EPA/ZEF NIKOLLA/FACEBOOK

Ms. Sandberg joined the company in 2008 as number two to co-founder Mark Zuckerberg after stints at Google and the U.S. Department of Justice. for the treasury.

She served as chief operating officer until 2022, overseeing the company's advertising and business development, helping it grow into a digital giant with annual revenues of over $100 billion (£79 billion).

While at Meta , which also owns WhatsApp and Instagram, Ms. Sandberg has often served as the public face of the business.

Under her leadership, the company has faced serious questions over its role in combating disinformation in the 2016 US election and the Cambridge Analytica scandal in 2018.

As criticism of Facebook and its platforms has mounted in In recent years, including high-profile scandals related to privacy violations and content moderation, Ms. Sandberg has increasingly disappeared from the spotlight.

In 2013, she published her first book, Lean In, which has sold over 1 million copies. The book, which she called «a kind of feminist manifesto», is aimed at women in business and criticizes the lack of women in government and in senior positions in large companies.

She has been involved in charity work since she left. resigned as chief operating officer, including educational programs, and Bay FC, a women's professional soccer team in San Francisco that will begin its inaugural season in May.

Mr. Zuckerberg paid tribute to his time spent -Joy Sandberg in Meta. Commenting on her Facebook post, the chief executive said: “Your dedication and leadership have been instrumental in our success. I am grateful for your unwavering dedication to me and Meta over the years.”

Meta's board of directors has eight other members, including Mr. Zuckerberg as chairman.

A company spokesman said Meta is consistently evaluating opportunities to expand its board of directors, but declined to provide details about future changes.

Meta shares fell slightly in after-hours trading to $368.03.< /p >