Meta Denies Mark Zuckerberg Is Quitting In 2023

Mark Zuckerberg isn't resigning as the CEO of Meta, contrary to rumors swirling around on the internet. The Leak reported earlier today, citing an unnamed insider source, that "Zuckerberg has decided to step down himself." The report came at a time when investor trust in the company is at an all-time low, and there is no dearth of serious controversies, either.

Zuckerberg has poured billions of dollars into the metaverse, which, in his words, is the next iteration of the internet that embraces immersion courtesy of augmented and virtual reality experiences. Despite poor early reception and struggles with making metaverse-ready gear more affordable, the under-fire Meta CEO has shown an unwavering commitment to his metaverse ambitions.

In the meanwhile, the Facebook co-founder's net worth has plunged dramatically as Meta's stock has been on its own downward spiral. Zuckerberg's net worth peaked at $142 billion just over a year ago, but it has since reduced to half that value. Following the company's latest quarterly report, Zuckerberg's net worth dropped by $11 billion in a single day,(via Forbes).

With Meta stock losing its sheen, Zuckerberg's vision losing investor attention, and the social media business facing its toughest competition ever, it's natural for Meta's CEO to feel some pressure. However, reports suggesting that he's set to resign next year have been categorically denied. Officially, that is.

Responding to The Leak's report, Meta's communications chief Andy Stone replied that "This is false." however, this is not the first time that calls for Zuckerberg's resignation have been raised. In November last year, whistleblower Frances Haugen – the architect of the bombshell Facebook leaks of 2021 – opined that "Facebook would be stronger with someone who was willing to focus on safety."

In 2020, Prolific investor and philanthropist George Soros called for Zuckerberg to resign in an open letter published in Financial Times. Back in 2018, when the platform was at the center of the election interference controversy, The Atlantic's Robinson Meyer asked whether Zuckerberg will finally resign, to which he replied with a "No."

In a CNN interview, when quizzed about the possibility of resigning, Zuckerberg made it clear "That's not the plan." Over the years, numerous experts, activists, and journalists have tried to push for Zuckerberg's resignation owing to the countless controversies that have popped up, but the Meta CEO has survived them all.

In the meanwhile, some high-profile departures have happened. Instagram co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger departed the company in 2018 over differences with Zuckerberg's vision for the product. WhatsApp CEO Jan Koum also quit Facebook the same year, which also saw WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton take the exit route. More recently, Meta COO Sheryl Sandberg resigned after a 14-year stint at the social media titan.