One of the most well-known women in the tech sector, Sheryl Sandberg, stated that Meta is “well-positioned for the future” and that “this feels like the right time to step away”.
She will now act as an unofficial advisor to the business.
She received praise from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg for her “extraordinary contributions” to the business.
The 54-year-old Ms. Sandberg began working for the company when it was still known as Facebook. As Google expanded to include Instagram, WhatsApp, and Messenger, she played a key role in transforming the company’s advertising division into a profitable enterprise.
She became a worldwide celebrity thanks to her books, which included Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead, which she called a “sort of feminist manifesto.”
Under her direction, the business also came under intense fire for spreading false information during the 2016 election, the 2018 Cambridge Analytica privacy scandal, and the 2021 Capitol riot.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, she announced her departure and stated that she has a “mind full of memories and a heart filled with gratitude.”
She described her roles as COO of Facebook and Meta for more than 14 years, as well as her 12-year tenure on the board, as “the opportunity of a lifetime”.
Shortly following Ms. Sandberg’s declaration, Mr. Zuckerberg made a brief response.
“Thank you Sheryl for the extraordinary contributions you have made to our company and community over the years,” he wrote in response to her post.
“Your dedication and guidance have been instrumental in driving our success and I am grateful for your unwavering commitment to me and Meta over the years.”
Targeted ad sales for the social media company Meta are being negatively impacted by changes in privacy regulations by iPhone manufacturer Apple and tighter laws governing social media in other countries.
Facebook’s user base has plateaued in important markets like the US, and it has lost younger users to competitors like TikTok.
