Meta elects UFC CEO Dana White, two others to board

Meta Platforms has elected three new directors to its board, including Dana White, CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and close friend of President-elect Donald Trump.

The Facebook-parent also elected Charlie Songhurst, an investor and former Microsoft, executive, as well as John Elkann, CEO of Exor, a holding company controlled by Italy's Agnelli family with interests in European businesses such as Ferrari and Christian Louboutin.

"Dana, John and Charlie will add a depth of expertise and perspective that will help us tackle the massive opportunities ahead with AI, wearables and the future of human connection," Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said.

Trump has had a long relationship with White, who had spoken in support of his candidacy at the Republican National Convention in July, and previously at the 2016 and 2020 conventions.

Zuckerberg, likewise, has developed a relationship with White in recent years as a mixed martial arts enthusiast and recreational fighter.

In one of their early public exchanges, Zuckerberg thanked White in an Instagram post in 2022 for inviting him to attend a UFC fight, while the UFC posted a photo online of the two embracing in front of the "Octagon" cage where fights take place.

Elkann is also the executive chairman of Stellantis NV and Ferrari, and chair of the nonprofit Agnelli Foundation, which focuses on education.

Songhurst has been serving on a four-member AI advisory group Meta convened in May to offer guidance on "strategic opportunities" in relation to the company's roadmap.

Zuckerberg has been positioning Meta for a potential second Trump presidency, expressing regret over previous content decisions that were unpopular with conservatives and praising Trump's response to an assassination attempt.

Last week, the company elevated prominent Republican policy executive Joel Kaplan to the position of global affairs head. Meta also donated $1 million (AED3.6 million) to Trump's inaugural fund, in a departure from its past practice.