Meta Says Joel Kaplan Will Leave After 15 Years

Meta’s global affairs officer Joel Kaplan will leave the company next year after 15 years, a spokesperson told Reuters on October 20. The report did not give an exact departure date or a reason for the exit.

External affairs responsibilities shift

Dina Powell McCormick, already Meta’s president and vice chair, will add external affairs to her portfolio. The change expands her existing responsibilities rather than appointing her to a new president or vice-chair role.

Kaplan rose to Meta’s top policy position in January 2025. His planned departure marks another change in the leadership overseeing the company’s relationships with governments and policymakers.

A planned transition, not a completed handover

The announcement describes a departure next year. Without a specific date or detailed handover plan, it would be premature to describe the leadership transfer as complete.

Sources

Reuters: Joel Kaplan to leave Meta

Image credit: Meta official Media Gallery — Joel Kaplan executive headshot. Company-supplied media resource, used for editorial identification; not a photograph of the departure announcement.