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Meta’s Chief People Officer, Lori Goler, will step down next summer after more than 16 years shaping the company’s workforce and culture.
Her successor in the role will be Janelle Gale, a 12-year Meta veteran.
Goler, originally recruited by Sheryl Sandberg, has been instrumental in building Meta’s HR infrastructure, overseeing its growth from a company of just 500 employees in 2008 to more than 70,000 today.
Her tenure saw Meta’s transformation from a privately-held startup to a publicly traded tech giant in 2012, along with its navigation through a name change (from Facebook) significant regulatory challenges and public scrutiny.
She thanked CEO Mark Zuckerberg for fostering a culture of continuous learning and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to shape Meta’s unique work environment.
Meta's DEI efforts
Throughout her career at Meta, Goler focused on initiatives that were trailblazing for Silicon Valley, particularly in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts and elevating women in tech.
Working closely with Sandberg, Goler set the standard for how tech companies handle training, compensation, and retention. DEI has been a prominent focus for Meta, which, under Goler’s leadership, implemented various programs to support underrepresented groups and promoted inclusive hiring practices.
Goler’s departure marks another shift in Meta’s C-suite as the company has seen a wave of executive exits in recent years.
Sandberg herself left Meta as COO in 2022 and exited the board earlier this year. Other high-profile departures include Chief Revenue Officer David Fischer in 2021 and Chief Business Officer, Marne Levine, who left in February 2023.
As Meta continues to evolve under the leadership of new executives, the company is also facing ongoing debates over HR policies, including its stance on remote work.
Meta's RTO mandate
Meta initially embraced remote work during the pandemic, but more recently, the company has called employees back to the office as it adjusts to new post-pandemic dynamics. The approach reflects a broader trend within the tech sector and elsewhere with firms recalibrating remote work policies in pursuit of solutions that maintain or improve productivity and retain employee satisfaction engagement.
The announcement of Goler’s departure comes at a time when Meta is navigating increased scrutiny over its business practices and workplace culture.
Goler’s contributions to developing Meta’s people strategy, particularly her focus on DEI, are likely to be a lasting part of her legacy as Gale steps into the role next year.
