Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta Platforms has named a prominent banking executive and former US Deputy National Security Advisor under President Donald Trump as its new President and Vice Chairman. Dina Powell McCormick’s appointment sees her transition from a brief stint on Meta’s board (April to December 2024) to a full-time executive role reporting directly to CEO and Founder Mark Zuckerberg.
Powell McCormick brings over 25 years of experience spanning global finance, national security, and economic development. She most recently served as Vice Chair, President, and Head of Global Client Services at the merchant bank BDT & MSD Partners. Prior to that, she spent 16 years at Goldman Sachs in senior leadership roles, including as a partner on the firm’s Management Committee and leading its Global Sovereign Investment Banking business.
She also held key government positions, serving as Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategy to President Trump (where she contributed to Middle East policy and the foundations of the Abraham Accords) and as Assistant Secretary of State under Secretary Condoleezza Rice during the George W. Bush administration.
Ex-Trump advisor joins Meta as Vice Chairman, President
In her new capacity, Powell McCormick will join Meta’s management team to help guide the company’s overall strategy and execution. Zuckerberg highlighted her expertise in a statement, “Dina’s experience at the highest levels of global finance, combined with her deep relationships around the world, makes her uniquely suited to help Meta manage this next phase of growth as the company’s President and Vice Chairman.”
Zuckerberg further noted in a social media post that she “will be involved in all of Meta’s work, with a particular focus on partnering with governments and sovereigns to build, deploy, invest in, and finance Meta’s AI and infrastructure.” Her global finance connections position her to drive dealmaking in critical areas like energy and technology infrastructure, essential for Meta’s ambitious AI expansion.
This marks the second recent hire from the Trump administration at Meta, following the appointment of Curtis Joseph Mahoney as Chief Legal Officer earlier this month (a former deputy US trade representative during Trump’s first term).
Trump congratulated on social media
President Donald Trump congratulated Powell McCormick on Truth Social, writing: “Congratulations to DINA POWELL MCCORMICK, WHO HAS JUST BEEN NAMED THE NEW PRESIDENT OF META. A great choice by Mark Z!!! She is a fantastic, and very talented, person, who served the Trump Administration with strength and distinction!”
The move highlights Meta’s strategic pivot toward scaling AI capabilities amid intense competition. Powell McCormick’s background in high-stakes diplomacy, sovereign investments, and merchant banking is seen as a key asset for navigating regulatory landscapes, securing partnerships, and funding massive infrastructure needs for AI data centers and energy projects.