Nick Clegg, former British Deputy Prime Minister, has announced his departure from Meta after six years at the social media giant.
Clegg, who joined in 2018 and rose to become the company’s head of global affairs, confirmed his exit in a Facebook post, describing his tenure as “the adventure of a lifetime.”
He joined Facebook at a time of intense scrutiny, and helped guide the tech giant through the Cambridge Analytica data scandal. Clegg went on to lead the creation of the Independent Oversight Board, an initiative aimed at promoting transparency in content moderation and governance.
He will be succeeded by Joel Kaplan, Clegg’s deputy and former Meta vice president for global public policy. Kaplan previously served under President George W. Bush as deputy chief of staff for policy and is seen as one of the most prominent conservative voices within the top ranks of MIT. He rose through the company amid criticism from Republicans who claimed Facebook had a liberal bias, prompting steps such as partnering with the fact-checking section of the conservative news site The Daily Caller.
Clegg’s departure comes just weeks before Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20. Meta and other social media platforms have had a complicated relationship with the former president, from banning his accounts to reinstating them and donating to his inaugural fund in 2017. Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, praised Clegg’s influence in “promoting Meta’s voice and values around the world.” He expressed confidence in Kaplan’s ability to guide policy through what are likely to be turbulent political waters.
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