Sheryl Sandberg Steps Down As Meta’s COO After 14 Years At The Helm

Think of Meta (or Facebook), and the brand’s most recognizable face after founder Mark Zuckerberg is undoubtedly Sheryl Sandberg, the platform’s Chief Operating Officer for the last 14 years. 

Sandberg has announced that after over a decade of building the startup into one of the world’s most influential brands, she’s relinquishing the role to Javier Olivan, who will take over when she departs in the fall.

According to Bloomberg, despite leaving the position, the 52-year-old will still retain a role on the board of Meta. Sandberg said her time at the firm was a lifetime’s “honor and privilege,” but did reveal that the pressures that come with the position didn’t make the “most manageable job” in the world.

She told Forbes that she doesn’t believe her departure will shake things up too much, and is confident in the company’s future as a “very strong business” both in the present and long-term future. 

Going forward, the published author—who saw her book Lean In top the charts in 2013—plans to spend more time on philanthropy and advocating for women’s rights by way of her foundation. 

As for her personal life, Sandberg shared that she’s planning to tie the knot this summer, and hopes that by leaving the hustle and bustle of Meta behind, she’ll have more time to spend with her children and soon-to-be step kids. 

In a farewell post on Facebook, Zuckerberg alluded to his close ties with Sandberg over the years, saying that she supported him both personally and professionally, and that their partner was “deeper than just business.” 

[via Bloomberg and Forbes, cover image via World Economic Forum / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)]