Meta Adds High-Profile Talent to Board as Washington Influence Grows

Meta Platforms has expanded its already influential board of directors with the appointment of Stripe CEO Patrick Collison and seasoned political and financial figure Dina Powell McCormick. According to Fortune, both are set to join the company’s governing body on April 15, bringing the total number of directors to 15.

Collison, a prominent figure in the tech and finance world, co-founded Stripe, a major force in digital payments. Powell McCormick, meanwhile, brings extensive experience from both the private and public sectors. She is currently vice chair at BDT & MSD Partners and previously held high-profile roles in both the George W. Bush and Donald Trump administrations. Her addition to the board underscores Meta’s growing interest in political strategy, especially in Washington, D.C.

Per Fortune, the move comes at a pivotal time for Meta, which is bracing for a significant legal battle with the Federal Trade Commission over its past acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp. As the company navigates regulatory scrutiny, the addition of individuals with deep ties to economic policy and government could signal a more assertive presence in political circles.

Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s CEO, praised the new board members in a statement, emphasizing their value to Meta’s evolving mission. “Patrick and Dina bring a lot of experience supporting businesses and entrepreneurs to our board,” he said. “Patrick is deeply committed to expanding economic opportunity, and Dina has a long career advocating for economic development and supporting entrepreneurs. Their perspective will be extremely valuable to businesses that rely on our services to grow.”

Related: Meta Faces Major Antitrust Trial as FTC Challenges Its Social Media Empire

Zuckerberg’s own investment in the political capital appears to be growing. According to Fortune, he and his wife Priscilla Chan recently purchased a $23 million estate in Washington’s elite Woodland Normanstone neighborhood. His increased presence in the capital coincides with reported visits to Trump’s White House and dinners at Mar-a-Lago, as Meta and other tech leaders navigate the shifting landscape under the current administration.

Powell McCormick and Collison join a board already marked by heavyweight names, including UFC CEO Dana White, who was appointed in January alongside former Microsoft executive Charlie Songhurst and Exor CEO John Elkann. The January appointments, as reported by Fortune, reflected a strategic blend of corporate, political, and media expertise.

The broader board includes notable figures like venture capitalist Marc Andreessen—who humorously refers to himself as an “unpaid intern” in Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency—and Ambassador Robert Kimmitt of WilmerHale, a law firm recently embroiled in political maneuvering involving the Trump administration.

Source: Fortune