Facebook have appointed Robert M Kimmitt as the lead independent board director, as of March 2020. In a statement the CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, addressed that Facebook were “looking for a leader who can bring significant oversight and governance experience”.
Robert M Kimmitt is known for his service as the Deputy Secretary of the Treasury as well as his work with Germany as the US Ambassador. Before his involvement with the US Treasury from 2005-2009 Kimmitt was a decorated veteran in the Vietnam War and Gulf War.
However, in a New York Times newspaper, which is dated January 3rd 1991, there have been allegations made toward Kimmitt by several former Reagan White House officials. Similarly to Facebook, Kimmitt has been accused of leaking information.
Between 1983-85 private allegations suggested that there was a passing of “White House documents to unauthorized people” that had linked to the Iran-contra scandal. Kimmitt has since flatly denied these rumours yet his signature was later found on documents in a public trial in which he declared that he didn’t have any recollection of when he signed it.
With Robert M. Kimmitt on the Board of Directors for Facebook, it could illustrate how careless the company is regarding previous accusations made toward their new employees surrounding privacy. This could then catalyse the idea that Facebook’s morals are even further misshaped since Zuckerberg’s testimony to Congress in 2018 where Facebook had to deny any breaches of law surrounding the privacy of their audience.