Meta Restructures Policy Team As Joel Kaplan Replaces Nick Clegg, Semafor Reports

Meta is restructuring its global policy team, with Nick Clegg stepping down as president. Joel Kaplan, currently his deputy, will replace him, Semafor reported on Friday, quoting people familiar with the matter, according to sources.

Kaplan, who is known for his Republican affiliations and previously served as White House Deputy Chief of Staff under George W Bush, has been a strong advocate against political speech restrictions within Meta, arguing such policies could disproportionately affect conservative voices.

Clegg, who was Deputy Prime Minister of the UK and former leader of the Liberal Democrats, joined Meta in 2018 to oversee policy and lobbying. He was named president in 2022.

“I'm grateful for everything you've done for Meta and the world these past seven years. I've learnt so much working with you, and our whole team is better for having this opportunity,” Semafor reported, quoting Zuckerberg as saying of Clegg in a statement.

“You've made an important impact advancing Meta's voice and values around the world, as well as our vision for AI and the metaverse. You've also built a strong team to carry this work forward. I'm excited for Joel to step into this role next given his deep experience and insight leading our policy work for many years,” Zuckerberg added in the statement, according to the Semafor report.

The leadership change comes shortly before Donald Trump being re-elected as US President.

In November, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg met Trump at Mar-a-Lago and congratulated him on his election victory, joining other tech leaders in doing so.

Meta's policy team is now positioned to navigate a Republican-led Washington. Kevin Martin, recently elevated to vice president of global public policy, was a Federal Communications Commission appointee under George W Bush.

Jennifer Newstead, Meta's general counsel, served as the chief legal adviser at the Trump State Department before joining the company in 2019.