Sheryl Sandberg is stepping down from Meta’s board

Sheryl Sandberg, who served as COO and a member of Meta’s board for over a decade, is stepping down from the board, marking the end of her official roles in the company.

After departing as COO, she remained on the board to aid in a smooth transition. In a Facebook post, she cited confidence in the leadership of Mark Zuckerberg and others as a reason for her departure, considering this the right time to step away.

Meta has not revealed any potential successors for Sandberg’s board seat. Known for spearheading Meta’s multi-billion-dollar advertising business, Sandberg saw revenue grow by 43,000% during her tenure.

However, her influence within the company recently diminished as Zuckerberg’s interest pivoted towards the metaverse, which, in contrast to Meta’s traditional business, lacks a clear path for ad revenue.

Expressing gratitude for Sandberg’s contributions, Zuckerberg said in a Facebook post, “Your dedication and guidance have been instrumental in driving our success […] I look forward to this next chapter together!”

Sandberg’s legacy at Meta

Having held senior roles at Google, the World Bank, and the Clinton administration’s Treasury Department, Sheryl Sandberg was already a notable figure in the tech industry when she joined Facebook, now Meta, in 2008.

Often referred to as the “adult supervision” in the company led by a young founder, she played a crucial role in increasing Facebook’s revenue from about $150 million in 2007 to over $3.7 billion in 2011.

In 2022, when she stepped down as COO, Meta reported an impressive $116.6 billion total annual revenue. Moreover, the company’s share price has surged over 860% since its 2012 IPO. As the architect of Meta’s advertising business and the establisher of its management culture, Sandberg has been instrumental in the company’s exponential growth, positioning her as one of the most influential women in tech.

While her tenure has seen many victories, it has also been marked by controversies as Meta faced a barrage of criticisms over issues ranging from alleged democracy subversion and incitement of genocide to potential harm to teen users.

Sandberg also played a significant role in Meta’s significant 2021 rebranding, which aimed to reflect the company’s shift towards building the “metaverse”, a move that sparked shareholder concerns and resulted in major company cutbacks last year.