JAKARTA - Meta Platforms Inc., Facebook's parent company, announced on Monday 6 January that it had appointed three new members to join the board of directors. One of the names that caught the eye was Dana White, CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and close friend of President-elect Donald Trump.

Apart from Dana White, Meta also appointed Charlie Songhurst, a Microsoft investor and former executive, as well as John Elkann, CEO of Exor, parent company controlled by the Agnelli family of Italy with business interests in Ferrari and Christian Louboutin.

John Elkann, in addition to leading the Exor, also serves as chairman of the Stellantis NV, Ferrari, and the Education-focused nonprofit Agnelli Foundation. Charlie Songhurst was previously a member of the AI Meta advisory group that provides strategic guidance related to the company's roadmap in the AI sector.

"Funds, John, and Charlie will add to the depth of expertise and perspectives that will help us face great opportunities in the future, such as artificial intelligence (AI), wearable devices, and the future of human connections," said Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, quoted by VOI from Reuters.

Zuckerberg, known as a fan of mixed martial arts (MMA), has been in good relations with White in recent years. In fact, Zuckerberg has attended the UFC event and shared photos with White in front of the "Octagon," the arena where the game took place.

Dana White's appointment also shows Meta's closer ties to conservative politics. Zuckerberg has shown a new approach to the Trump administration, including regretting some content decisions that conservative groups don't like and praising Trump's response to assassination attempts.

In addition, Meta recently appointed leading Republican policy executive Joel Kaplan, head of global affairs, and donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration fund, a different move than the previous practice.

With this move, Meta seems to amplify its position amid major opportunities in the world of technology and global political changes.


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