Meta’s president of world affairs, former U.Ok. deputy prime minister Nick Clegg, is leaving the social big after greater than six years. Taking his place: Joel Kaplan, a Meta lobbying exec with ties to the Republican celebration.

Clegg is stepping down from the function simply weeks earlier than Donald Trump is ready to be sworn in as U.S. president. “As a brand new yr begins, I’ve come to the view that that is the suitable time for me to maneuver on from my function as President, World Affairs at Meta,” Clegg wrote in a public Fb put up Thursday.

Kaplan joined Fb in 2011, and have become the corporate’s VP of world public coverage in 2014. He has been seen as key to Meta’s efforts to succeed in out conservative lawmakers who’ve criticized the corporate for a perceived anticonservative bias. “Joel is kind of clearly the suitable individual for the suitable job on the proper time — ideally positioned to form the corporate’s technique as societal and political expectations round know-how proceed to evolve,” Clegg wrote within the put up.

Kaplan was previously deputy chief of employees below President George W. Bush from 2006-09. Previous to that, he labored as a regulation clerk for former Supreme Court docket Justice Antonin Scalia after graduating from Harvard Legislation College. Earlier than becoming a member of Fb, Kaplan was EVP for public coverage and exterior affairs for Power Future Holdings Corp.

Trump has lashed out at Meta/Fb up to now on quite a few events — and in addition has attacked firm co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg. In Trump’s e-book “Save America,” printed in early September, he repeated allegations that Fb by some means interfered with the 2020 election and wrote, “We’re watching [Zuckerberg] carefully, and if he does something unlawful this time he’ll spend the remainder of his life in jail — as will others who cheat within the 2024 Presidential Election.”

Following Trump’s 2024 election win, Zuckerberg traveled to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property in Florida to dine with the president-elect. As well as, Meta is amongst corporations donating $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund.

Zuckerberg, in a reply Thursday on Clegg’s resignation put up, wrote, “I’m grateful for every thing you’ve carried out for Meta and the world these previous seven years. I’ve discovered a lot working with you and our entire staff is healthier for having this chance. You’ve made an vital affect advancing Meta’s voice and values all over the world, in addition to our imaginative and prescient for AI and the metaverse. You’ve additionally constructed a powerful staff to hold this work ahead. I’m excited for Joel to step into this function subsequent given his deep expertise and perception main our coverage work for a few years.”

Clegg had served as head of the U.Ok.’s Liberal Democrats celebration earlier than becoming a member of Meta (then Fb) within the fall of 2018. With the corporate’s fast development within the following years “got here vital scrutiny and controversy too — and I’m happy with the work I’ve been in a position to do main and supporting groups throughout the corporate to make sure continued innovation can go hand in hand with elevated transparency and accountability, and with new types of governance,” he wrote.

Kevin Martin, who served as FCC chairman and was appointed to the fee by President George W. Bush, will change Kaplan as VP of world coverage. Martin joined Fb in 2018 and has been Meta’s VP of U.S. public coverage. “Along with his in depth expertise at Meta, and his earlier report of public service as Chairman of the FCC, I do know Kevin will likely be a powerful chief of the coverage org and can proceed to be an important associate to Joel,” Clegg wrote.

Pictured above: Meta co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg (left), Joel Kaplan