John Pinette, the chief of communications at Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook, has departed the firm.
In an email sent Saturday, a Meta representative stated, “We are grateful for John’s positive contributions during an intense and critical moment in the company’s history.” “We wish him the best of luck in the future.” The spokeswoman did not explain Pinette’s departure.
According to The Wall Street Journal, Pinette informed employees of his departure in a Friday afternoon message, stating that it would be his last day. However, according to the Journal, the post said, “I trust the team will continue to thrive as you conduct some of the most important — and challenging — work in Communications.”
Pinette has been in charge of communications since 2019 and had previously overseen Google’s communications in Asia. In addition, he’d previously worked for Bill Gates, Microsoft, and late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen’s firm Vulcan.
Former Facebook employee Frances Haugen disclosed a collection of internal documents that revealed, among other things, that business researchers were aware of the problems produced by the platforms. As a result, Meta and its Facebook and Instagram social networks have been the target of severe examination. The disclosures sparked a flurry of high-profile media reports late last year, and Haugen testified before Congress.
For the time being, Chris Norton, vice president of international communications, will fill Pinette’s shoes, according to a Meta spokesperson.