Former British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg has been promoted to the top management of the digital company Meta. This was announced by company boss Mark Zuckerberg. The 55-year-old Clegg will in future bear the title “President for Global Affairs”. In the three-man management circle of the Facebook group Meta, Clegg will be the top political officer.
Company founder Zuckerberg is responsible for product development and corporate strategy, while co-CEO Sheryl Sandberg is responsible for financial results. Clegg had held the role of “Secretary of State” since 2018 in the position of Vice President. He was instrumental in setting up an independent oversight body. The regulatory group was formed in 2020 to make decisions independently of corporate governance. For example, the panel decided that former US President Donald Trump would remain blocked on Facebook.
Clegg should act on an equal footing with the Facebook boss
The group is in transition. The classic advertising business on Facebook and Instagram is weakening, also because users are less and less willing to disclose personal data that can be used to optimize the advertising business. At the same time, Zuckerberg is building the Metaverse, a world of virtual realities in which users can meet practically and in real life – at least that’s the plan.
Zuckerberg wrote in a post on his personal Facebook page that Clegg’s new role will give him more powers to respond to regulatory issues in the Metaverse world. Clegg will “lead our company in all political matters”. This included relationships with governments and the “public defense of our products and our work”. Clegg will act on an equal footing with him and Sandberg.[