Nandini Roy Choudhury, writer
Brief news
- Meta has appointed Joel Kaplan as the new chief global affairs officer, replacing Nick Clegg, who is resigning after a significant tenure managing the company’s global policies.
- The transition occurs just before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, reflecting how tech companies are adapting to the incoming administration.
- Clegg, who joined Meta in 2018, played a crucial role in addressing controversies like Cambridge Analytica and navigating the company’s relationship with regulatory pressures.
Detailed news
Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has decided to replace Nick Clegg, the company’s president of global affairs, with Joel Kaplan, who is now the business’s policy vice president and was a staff member of the Republican Party in the past.
The reorganization takes place three weeks before the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump, and it is the most recent indication of how technology companies are preparing themselves for a new administration in Washington.
At the beginning of the new year, Clegg, who had previously served as the deputy prime minister of the United Kingdom, announced that he would be resigning from his position. Kaplan, who will take over as chief global affairs officer, will succeed him as the person in charge of international affairs.
In December, Kaplan made an appearance at the New York Stock Exchange alongside Vice President-elect JD Vance and President Trump. Kaplan had previously served as the deputy chief of staff in the White House under the administration of former President George W. Bush. Additionally, in 2018, he was a personal acquaintance of the Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and attended the confirmation hearing for him. This caused an issue for the social media corporation.
Clegg wrote in a note to his colleagues that he shared on Facebook on Thursday, “I will look forward to spending a few months handing over the reins — and to representing the company at a number of international gatherings in the first quarter of this year.” Clegg also expressed his excitement about the prospect of leaving his position.
Clegg joined the firm in 2018, following a career in British politics with the Liberal Democrats party. He assisted Meta in navigating the intense scrutiny that was placed on the company, particularly on the company’s influence on elections and its efforts to filter harmful content.
Additionally, Clegg assisted the corporation in navigating the Cambridge Analytica controversy, which occurred when Facebook disclosed user information to political consultants who were not affiliated with the company. In addition, he was the company’s representative in Washington and London, where he routinely participated in hearings and panels pertaining to computer science and artificial intelligence.
Clegg said that during his time at the company, “a significant resetting of the relationship between ‘big tech’ and the societal pressures manifested in new laws, institutions, and norms affecting the sector” occurred. “My time at the company coincided with this resetting.”
It was said by Clegg in his message that Kevin Martin, who had previously served as the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, would take over for Kaplan as Meta’s vice president of global policy. He said that Kaplan would collaborate closely with David Ginsburg, who is the vice president of worldwide communications and public relations for the corporation.
Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, issued a statement in which he expressed his gratitude to Nick for everything he has done for Meta and the globe over the course of the previous seven years. “In order to move this task forward, you have… constructed a powerful team. Given his extensive expertise and insightful leadership of our policy work for a number of years, I am thrilled that Joel will be taking over this post in the near future.
Source: Semafor first reported the news, CNBC news
