Meta policy chief Joel Kaplan to leave in 2027 after 15 years

In short: Meta says its chief global affairs officer, Joel Kaplan, will leave the company in 2027, and he will stay through the 2026 US midterm elections to help with the transition.

What happened

Meta announced that Joel Kaplan, its top executive for government and public policy issues, plans to depart in 2027. Meta said Kaplan will remain in the role through the 2026 US midterm elections.

Kaplan has worked at Meta for more than 15 years. Before joining the company, he served as deputy White House chief of staff under President George W. Bush. At Meta, he helped build Facebook’s US policy operation and became the company’s top global policy executive in January 2025.

His planned exit comes during a period when Meta has been changing its approach to US politics and policy. The company has pursued closer ties with President Donald Trump and has made major internal changes, including ending its third-party fact-checking program (outside groups that review posts for accuracy) and rolling back some diversity initiatives. Meta President and Vice Chairman Dina Powell McCormick is expected to take on external-affairs responsibilities.

Why it matters

For most people, executives like Kaplan act like the company’s main negotiator with government, similar to a head of customer relations but for lawmakers and regulators. A change in that job can affect how Meta responds to rules about online speech, privacy, and artificial intelligence. Kaplan also helped shape Meta’s positions on AI, at a time when big tech firms are facing questions about AI’s impact and the growing presence of data centers in local communities.

Source: NYTimes