Nick Clegg replaced at Meta by Republican pick before Trump re-enters White House
Former UK deputy prime minister Sir Nick Clegg has quit as Meta’s president of global affairs, being replaced by a key Republican voice, Joel Kaplan.
The former leader of the Liberal Democrats announced he was leaving on LinkedIn and Facebook, saying that his tenure at the tech giant has been an “adventure of a lifetime”.
“I am proud of the work I have been able to do”, he wrote, “leading and supporting teams across the company to ensure innovation can go hand in hand with increased transparency and accountability, and with new forms of governance”.
Clegg joined Meta, the owner of Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp in 2018, amid uncertain times due to heightened scrutiny following the Cambridge Analytica scandal and the tech platform’s controversial role in the 2016 presidential election in the US.
Clegg reportedly earned a £10m bonus following his 2022 promotion to president of global affairs.
His substantial payout underscored his pivotal role in navigating regulatory scrutiny and fostering international partnerships for the leading tech giant.
Over his six years in the firm, he worked to reshape Meta’s global policy framework through the creation of the independent Facebook Oversight Board.
He then ascended to his current role back in 2022, which will now be passed on to his deputy, Joel Kaplan.
Meta’s new chief global affairs officer, a former deputy chief of staff under President George W. Bush, was described by Kaplan as “the right person for the job at the right time”.
Clegg lauded Kaplan as a “good friend” and “close colleague”, expressing confidence in his successor’s ability to navigate Meta’s policies.
Meta builds its relationship with Trump
This news comes as Meta prepares to recalibrate its approach to political speech and content moderation amidst shifting regulatory landscapes and increasing scrutiny before Trump’s inauguration on 20 January.
Shortly after he was elected, Meta poured $1m (£786,000) into his inauguration fund in an attempt to fix a relationship with the now-president, who previously called Facebook “anti-Trump” in 2017.
Kaplan, who is known for advocating minimal restrictions on political discourse, has been a central figure in Meta’s responses to allegations of political bias.
Kaplan’s tenure at Meta has not been without controversy.
In late 2018, the company faced an internal uproar when Kaplan attended the congressional hearing of his friend Brett Kavanaugh, then a Supreme Court nominee.
Kavanaugh, accused of committing sexual assault as a teenager—a claim he strenuously denied—was ultimately confirmed.
Meta’s leadership later acknowledged “mistakes” in handling the situation, as Kaplan’s public support for Kavanaugh sparked backlash among employees.
Mark Zuckerberg expressed gratitude for Clegg’s years at Meta, commenting on his post: “You’ve made an important impact advancing Meta’s voice and values around the world.”
He also added that he looked forward to Kaplan stepping in, citing his “deep experience and insight” as valuable for his company.