Facebook hires Nick Clegg as head of global affairs
Facebook has hired Nick Clegg, the former UK deputy prime minister, to head its global affairs and communications team as it faces escalating problems over data protection and the threat of greater government regulation.
Sir Nick will move to Silicon Valley in January to succeed Elliot Schrage, who announced he would leave Facebook after 10 years in June.
His recruitment will be as much of a surprise to the British political establishment as it will be to Silicon Valley, where few European politicians enjoy a high profile in the insular tech industry.
In a post on Facebook, Sir Nick said he felt Facebook must tackle the thorny questions about how technology is affecting society “not by acting alone in Silicon Valley, but by working with people, organizations, governments and regulators around the world to ensure that technology is a force for good.”
The former deputy prime minister led the Liberal Democrat party in coalition with David Cameron’s Conservatives between 2010 to 2015 but lost his seat in parliament in the 2017 general election.
He agreed to take on the job after months of wooing by Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook’s chief executive, who told Sir Nick he would have a leading role in shaping the company’s strategy.
Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook’s chief operating officer, said Sir Nick was a “thoughtful and gifted leader” who “understands deeply the responsibilities we have to people who use our service around the world”.
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