Mark Zuckerberg’s partner and Meta COO, Sheryl Sandberg, steps down after 14 years

Mark Zuckerberg, the creator of Meta, has announced the departure of Sheryl Sandberg, his spouse and the company’s Chief Operating Officer (COO).

Zuckerberg claims Sandberg joined him to lead the company 14 years ago when he “barely knew anything about operating a company,” according to an emotional parting letter on his Facebook page.

He claimed that with Sandberg’s guidance, the company was able to produce a great product, the Facebook website, despite the fact that the company was not profitable at the time and was fighting to shift from a small startup to a real organization.

Narrating how the outgoing COO helped him to nurture the company, Zuckerberg said: “Sheryl architected our ads business, hired great people, forged our management culture, and taught me how to run a company. She created opportunities for millions of people around the world, and she deserves the credit for so much of what Meta is today.”

“It’s unusual for a business partnership like ours to last so long. I think ours did because Sheryl is such an amazing person, leader, partner, and friend. She cares deeply about the people in her life, and she is generous about nurturing relationships and helping you grow as a person.

“She has taught me so much, and she has been there for many of the important moments in my life, both personally and professionally. Whether going through the different transitions we’ve made as a company over the years or when she supported me and Priscilla as we navigated the challenges of having children, our partnership has always been deeper than just business.

“I’m going to miss running this company with Sheryl. But I’m glad that she’ll continue to serve on our board of directors so we can benefit from her wisdom and experience even after she transitions out of her day-to-day management role in the coming months,” he added.