Meta’s Joel Kaplan Plans 2027 Exit After More Than 15 Years

Meta’s top global affairs officer, Joel Kaplan, plans to leave in 2027 after a tenure of more than 15 years, as the company redistributes policy and external affairs duties among senior executives.

President and Vice Chairman Dina Powell McCormick will add external affairs to her portfolio. Chief Legal Officer C.J. Mahoney will also take on policy responsibilities, and other executives will participate in the transition.

Dina Powell McCormick moved from Meta’s board into the president and vice chairman role in January 2026. Her portfolio already covers strategic capital partnerships and work with teams developing Meta’s artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Meta placed Kaplan in its global affairs chief role in January 2025, after Nick Clegg held the post. In January 2025, Meta said it would use Community Notes instead of third-party fact-checking in the U.S. and relax some speech restrictions. Meta ended its U.S. fact-checking program in April 2025.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg praised Kaplan’s work, saying, “Joel has worked on virtually every tough issue Meta has faced for more than 15 years.” Before joining Meta, Kaplan served in President George W. Bush’s White House as deputy chief of staff for policy.

The company expects Kaplan to remain through the midterms and into 2027 during the handoff.