Mark Zuckerberg: CEO of Meta Platforms

Your vision isn't limitless; it's limited only by the direction you choose to see it from.

Mark Zuckerberg is an American computer programmer and technology entrepreneur best known as the co-founder, Chairman, and CEO of Meta Platforms, Inc. (formerly Facebook, Inc.). His vision has fundamentally shaped modern social media and digital connectivity, creating one of the world's most influential and largest technology companies.

Rise to Prominence

Zuckerberg was born on May 14, 1984, in White Plains, New York. He displayed an early aptitude for coding, creating an internal messaging program called "Zucknet" for his family's home and his father's dental office at age 12.

While attending Harvard University, he launched TheFacebook.com in 2004 with fellow students Chris Hughes, Dustin Moskovitz, and Eduardo Saverin. Initially intended as a social directory for Harvard students, the platform rapidly expanded beyond the university, leading Zuckerberg to drop out of college to focus on the company full-time.

The Meta Empire

Under Zuckerberg's leadership, Facebook grew from a collegiate network into a global technology conglomerate. In 2021, the parent company was rebranded as Meta Platforms, Inc., to reflect its expanded focus beyond the core social media platform.

Key assets and companies controlled by Meta include:

Facebook: The original social network.

Instagram: Acquired in 2012 for approximately $1 billion.

WhatsApp: Acquired in 2014 for approximately $19 billion.

Threads: A text-based social media application launched in 2023.

Reality Labs: The division focused on building the metaverse through virtual and augmented reality products, including Meta Quest headsets.

Zuckerberg's strategic decisions, like the massive investments in Reality Labs and his shift toward Artificial Intelligence (AI), define the company's current direction.

Wealth and Philanthropy

Zuckerberg is one of the world's wealthiest individuals, with the bulk of his net worth tied up in his shares of Meta Platforms.

In 2015, he and his wife, Priscilla Chan, founded the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI). CZI is a philanthropic organization focused on leveraging technology to advance human potential and promote equality in areas such as science, education, and social justice. They have pledged to give away 99% of their Meta shares to further this mission.