UFC CEO and president Dana White has been elected to join Meta’s board of directors, Mark Zuckerberg’s tech conglomerate announced on Monday.
He will be joined by Exor CEO John Elkann and tech investor Charlie Songhurst.
“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,” Zuckerberg said in a statement.
“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 added. “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.”
The news came just days after the company behind Facebook and Instagram promoted former George W. Bush deputy chief of staff Joel Kaplan to head of its global policy team. It also came nearly a year after Sheryl Sandberg stepped down from the board after 12 years.
“I am honored to be able to contribute to the future of one of the most significant companies of the 21st century,” Elkann said on Monday. “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.”
Songhurst echoed, “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.”
“I love social media. And I’m excited to be a small part of the future of AI and emerging technologies,” White added on Instagram following the initial press release.
