Meta Policy Chief Joel Kaplan Reportedly To Leave In 2027 — Leadership Transition Comes Amid Zuckerberg's AI Push

According to a report by Axios, Meta President Dina Powell McCormick will take on external affairs responsibilities as the company expands its artificial intelligence infrastructure and investments.

• Kaplan will leave in 2027 after more than a decade as a key adviser to CEO Mark Zuckerberg, according to Axios.
• Kaplan will stay through the November midterm elections to oversee a transition involving McCormick and Chief Legal Officer C.J. Mahoney.
• Meta expects capital expenditures of $130 billion to $145 billion in 2026 as it accelerates its artificial intelligence and data-center investments.

Meta Platforms Inc. (META) Chief Global Affairs Officer Joel Kaplan reportedly plans to leave the company in 2027 after more than 15 years as a key adviser to CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Zuckerberg told Axios that Kaplan had worked on virtually every difficult issue facing Meta during his tenure, describing him as a strong advocate for the company's policies and a personal friend.

As of this writing, META stock was trading nearly 2% lower. At the time of writing, Meta had not responded to a request for comment from Stocktwits.

McCormick To Take Over Kaplan's Responsibilities

According to the report, Meta President and Vice Chairman Dina Powell McCormick will add external affairs to her responsibilities, while Chief Legal Officer C.J. Mahoney will assume additional policy duties.

Kaplan will remain through the November midterm elections and into 2027 to support the leadership transition. Other executives involved include Brian Rice, Meta's head of U.S. government affairs, and Tucker Bounds, its global head of communications and public affairs.

According to his official Meta profile, Kaplan joined Facebook in 2011 after serving as deputy White House chief of staff for policy under President George W. Bush. He previously served as an artillery officer in the U.S. Marine Corps.

The executive helped Meta defend its personalized advertising business against regulatory challenges, particularly in Europe, and navigate successive U.S. administrations, according to Axios.

Meta Leadership Shake-Up Amid AI Investment Acceleration

Powell McCormick, who joined Meta as president in January, has been working with the company's infrastructure teams on data-center expansion and strategic capital partnerships, according to Meta's official announcement.

The leadership transition comes as Meta expands its AI ambitions. On October 12, the company introduced Muse Wonder and Muse Wonder Full, describing them as its most capable AI models to date, designed for personal and professional tasks.

Meta's second-quarter (Q2) revenue increased 28% year over year to $60.80 billion, although its operating margin narrowed to 31% from 43% a year earlier. The company forecast 2026 capital expenditures, including principal payments on finance leases, of $130 billion to $145 billion.

Meta’s Upcoming Q3 Earnings 

Meta is scheduled to report third-quarter (Q3) earnings after Wednesday's market close. Investors will be watching whether advertising growth and AI-driven efficiencies can support the company's expanding investment commitments.

The company previously guided for third-quarter revenue of $61 billion to $64 billion, while its global policy transition is expected to continue into 2027.

What Retail Thinks of META Stock

On Stocktwits, retail investors’ sentiment around META stock remained in the ‘bearish’ territory over the past day.

So far this year, Meta shares have risen over 6%. By comparison, the Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) and the Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF (MAGS), which hold the stock, have risen over 17% and 10%, respectively, over the same period.

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