Sheryl Sandberg, the chief operating officer of Meta, earlier famed as Facebook is stepping down after 14 years. She was the second In- Command after Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta. Meta Platforms Inc.’s Sheryl Sandberg, who became one of the most recognized figures in global business after helping Facebook transform from a startup into a multibillion-dollar advertising powerhouse, is stepping down as chief operating officer.
She is the face of driving many changes in Facebook and its other apps, such as Instagram, Messenger, and WhatsApp. She plans to focus more on her foundation and philanthropic work. Sandberg will officially leave the company by the fall of this year. She will continue to serve on Meta’s board of directors. Sandberg, 52, will remain on the board of Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, according to a post on the social network Wednesday. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that it’s the end of an era.
Javier Olivan, who has led the company’s growth efforts for years, will take Sandberg’s place as COO when she formally leaves in the fall. “Fourteen years later, it is time for me to write the next chapter of my life. I am not entirely sure what the future will bring… I have learned no one ever is. But I know it will include focusing more on my foundation and philanthropic work, which is more important to me than ever given how critical this moment is for women,” Sandberg said in a Facebook post late on Wednesday.
She also wrote about how when she joined Facebook, she had “a two-year-old son and a six-month-old daughter,” and she decided to leave the office by 5.30 pm as she wanted to be with her children. But at a startup like Facebook, this was not an easy decision to take. “In the critical moments of my life, in the highest highs and in the depths of true lows, I have never had to turn to Mark, because he was already there,” she wrote.
Sandberg said she’s planning to get married this summer and hopes to spend more time with her kids and soon-to-be stepchildren. She also plans to work on advocacy for women’s issues — a focus of her Lean In foundation — and other philanthropy.
Meta CEO and founder Mark Zuckerberg commented on Sandberg’s post, calling it the end of an era. “In the 14 years we’ve worked together, you’ve architected our ads business, hired great people, forged our management culture, and taught me how to run a company,” he wrote, adding he would miss working alongside her every day.
