Rob Leathern, one of Facebook’s fiercest advocates for its ad business, left the company over the New Year, after spending four years as the head of business integrity.
Leathern made the announcement about leaving Facebook on New Year’s Day, although he has not yet disclosed where he will land next. Facebook declined to comment on his departure, but his exit appears to be on amicable terms with the company. Since 2017, Leathern has been one of the most visible people defending Facebook and its policies publicly. Leathern was active on Twitter, where he often scrapped with reporters and commented on issues related to the social network and the ad business.
Leathern indicated that his next role will keep him close to the types of issues he handled at Facebook, including topics that cover privacy, data and technology. He promised to update people about his next job through a Substack newsletter.
It’s fitting that Leathern tweeted about his move in a 12-part Twitter thread on Friday. “Working on Business/Ads Integrity/Trust at Facebook has been my most rewarding professional experience,” Leathern tweeted. “While it’s been difficult and demanding work at times, the passionate & dedicated crew I worked with have accomplished a great deal in these last few years!”