‘End of an era’: Sheryl Sandberg leaves behind powerful – if complicated – legacy

The chief operating officer saw Facebook through multiple controversies and turned into the profitable juggernaut it is today

While the scandals have created a mixed legacy for the executive, her mark on the business of Facebook – and the entirety of the social media industry – is undeniable. Picture: Jose Luis Magana

Sheryl Sandberg announced on Wednesday she will step down from her role as chief operating officer of Facebook, after 14 years as one of the most powerful figures at a company that transformed Silicon Valley.

During her time at Facebook, now Meta, she saw the company through a meteoric rise and an ongoing storm of controversies. Sandberg herself transformed into a controversial figurehead for corporate feminism following the release of her book Lean In, which became a seminal manifesto for women in the workplace.