Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram has appointed Joel Kaplan as its new Chief Global Affairs Officer. Kaplan, a prominent Republican, succeeds Nick Clegg, who decided to step down from the position, citing it was the right time for a change. Clegg, a former British Deputy Prime Minister, joined Meta in 2018 and was instrumental in shaping the company's policies on content and elections.
Joel Kaplan, who has been with Meta since 2011, previously served as the company's global policy head. His former role will now be filled by Kevin Martin, another executive with Republican ties.
In a post on Threads, Clegg said, "As a new year begins, I have come to the view that this is the right time for me to move on from my role as President, Global Affairs at Meta."
He further explained why Kaplan was the right fit after him. He said, "Over the years that we have worked together, we have become good friends as well as close colleagues". Clegg added, "Joel is quite clearly the right person for the right job at the right time - ideally placed to shape the company's strategy as societal and political expectations around technology continue to evolve."
This leadership change occurs as Meta navigates its relationship with US President-elect Donald Trump. Trump has previously criticised Meta for its handling of political content and even threatened its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, with legal action. In an effort to improve relations, Meta donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration fund, marking a significant shift in its approach.
Kaplan, who served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy under former Republican President George W. Bush, has been a controversial figure at Meta. Some employees have accused him of favouring conservative interests while claiming to uphold neutrality. For instance, internal documents from a Facebook whistleblower suggested that Kaplan made exceptions to content rules to benefit Republican figures, a charge Meta has denied.
Kaplan also faced criticism in 2018 after attending a Senate hearing where Brett Kavanaugh, later confirmed as a Supreme Court justice, was questioned about sexual assault allegations. Meta later admitted to handling the situation poorly.
Meta's recent moves, including its donation to Trump's inauguration and Zuckerberg's public praise of Trump's actions, reflect an effort to ease tensions. Relations had been strained since Meta banned Trump from its platforms in 2021 following the Capitol riots. Trump also accused the company of suppressing content that could have harmed Joe Biden during the 2020 election.