Meta, the parent company of some of the world’s most widely used social networks, Facebook and Instagram, announced the addition of 3 new members to its board of directors.
They are Dana White, CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, who played a key role in Donald Trump’s re-election; Charlie Songhurst, former general manager of Microsoft; and John Elkann, CEO of the Exor Group and, among other things, majority shareholder of the soccer club Juventus and the auto giant, Ferrari.
With the new appointments, the social media giant’s board now has 13 members. Mark Zuckerberg, Founder and CEO of Meta, said, “Dana, John and Charlie will add a depth of expertise and perspective that will help us tackle the massive opportunities ahead with AI, wearables and the future of human connection.”
“I’ve never been interested in joining a board of directors until I got the offer to join Meta’s board. I am a huge believer that social media and AI are the future,” White said, “I am very excited to join this incredible team and to learn more about this business from the inside. There is nothing I love more than building brands, and I look forward to helping take Meta to the next level.”
“As part of Meta’s advisory group, I’ve seen firsthand the opportunities to scale new products and grow AI and enterprise capabilities, and I’m honored to be asked to join the board to further this work,” Charlie Songhurst announced.
And finally, John Elkann stated, “I am honored to be able to contribute to the future of one of the most significant companies of the 21st century. I look forward to bringing my global experience and long-term perspective to the board as Meta continues to shape and push the next frontiers of innovation and technology.”
Of the three nominations, the one that surely caught the attention of U.S. insiders was that of Dana White. The latter was one of Donald Trump’s biggest supporters during the last election campaign: after attending the Republican convention; he also attended a UFC fight at Madison Square Garden in the company of the president-elect.
His entry into Meta coincides with a moment when relations between Zuckerberg and Trump, decidedly strained until a few months ago, look set to change completely. The company has already donated $1 million to the MAGA leader’s inaugural fund, with “Zuck” himself having been Trump’s guest at his Mar-a-Lago headquarters.
