Nick Clegg leaves Meta as Joel Kaplan takes helm of global affairs

Nick Clegg, Britain’s former 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 president of global affairs, confirmed his exit in a Facebook post, describing his tenure as an “adventure of a lifetime”.

He joined the then-Facebook at a time of intense scrutiny, helping to steer the tech behemoth through the Cambridge Analytica data scandal. Clegg went on to spearhead the creation of the independent Oversight Board, an initiative aimed at boosting transparency in content moderation and governance.

Joel Kaplan, Clegg’s deputy and Meta’s former vice-president of global public policy, will succeed him. 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 Meta’s upper ranks. He rose through the company amid criticism from Republicans who claimed Facebook had a liberal bias, prompting moves such as partnering with the fact-checking division of the conservative Daily Caller news site.

Clegg’s departure comes just weeks before Donald Trump’s upcoming inauguration on 20 January. Meta and other social media platforms have navigated a complex relationship with the former president, from banning his accounts to reinstating them and donating to his inauguration fund in 2017. Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg praised Clegg’s impact in “advancing Meta’s voice and values around the world” and expressed confidence in Kaplan’s capacity to guide policy through what are likely to be turbulent political waters.

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Nick Clegg leaves Meta as Joel Kaplan takes helm of global affairs