Sheryl Sandberg will resign from the board of directors of Facebook parent company Meta in May. The 54-year-old announced the news on her Facebook page, explaining in a post, “The Meta business is strong and well-positioned for the future, so now feels like the right time to leave.” .”
In 2022, Sandberg resigned as the company’s chief operating officer, a position she had held for more than 14 years. When Mark Zuckerberg hired her to join the new startup called Facebook in March 2008, the company had yet to turn a profit. Under her guidance, the company adopted the advertising model, transforming it into a modern giant.
Sandberg may be stepping down from the board, but she’s not severing all ties with Meta. She wrote in the post that she would remain an advisor to the company and “will always be there to help the Meta team.”
She also expressed her gratitude to Zuckerberg, writing: “I will always be grateful for Mark’s trust in me and his partnership and friendship; he was a truly once-in-a-lifetime visionary leader and as a friend, It’s amazing. It’s there for you in good times and bad.” Sandberg credits Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, with helping her cope with her husband’s sudden death in 2015. played an indispensable role.
Zuckerberg responded in the comments: “I thank you for your unwavering commitment to me and Meta over the years. I look forward to the next chapter together!”
Before joining Facebook, Sandberg served as a vice president at Google and as chief of staff at the U.S. Treasury Department under Bill Clinton. Her 2013 bestseller “Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead” inspired a generation of working women and was criticized for its hollow message that excluded the realities of single parents and women of color. Sandberg remains one of the most visible and successful women in corporate America and a trailblazer in an industry historically dominated by men.
