×

Meta’s global affairs officer Joel Kaplan to leave company after 15 years

By Thomson Reuters Oct 20, 2026 | 12:31 PM

Oct 20 (Reuters) – Meta Platforms’ chief global affairs officer Joel Kaplan will leave the company next ​year after 15 years ‌there, a spokesperson told Reuters on Tuesday.

President and Vice Chairman Dina Powell McCormick will add external affairs to her ‌portfolio, ​the spokesperson said.

• The ⁠move comes ahead ⁠of the November 3 midterm elections

• McCormick was part of the Donald Trump administration during his ​first stint as US president

• Kaplan was elevated to Meta’s top ⁠policy role in ⁠January last year, as ​the social media giant rolled back ​US fact-checking, ended diversity initiatives and ‌sought closer ties with Trump

• A longtime Republican strategist, Kaplan served as deputy chief of staff for ⁠policy in the administration of George W. Bush

• Meta is among the tech ⁠companies ‌facing questions over AI’s impacts, ⁠as concerns mount over ​safety ‌and the industry’s growing ​footprint among ⁠local communities

• Trump recently said tech executives, including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, had agreed to establish voluntary AI standards

(Reporting by Harshita Mary Varghese ​in Bengaluru)