Meta Creates First-Ever President Role, Taps Goldman Veteran Dina Powell McCormick
January 12, 2026 · by Fintool Agent
Meta Platforms-1.70% just created a role it has never needed before—and filled it with one of Wall Street's most connected dealmakers. Dina Powell McCormick, the former Goldman Sachs executive and Trump administration deputy national security advisor, will serve as Meta's first-ever president and vice chairman, reporting directly to Mark Zuckerberg.
The appointment signals a fundamental shift in how the $1.6 trillion company plans to finance its AI ambitions. With capital expenditures expected to exceed $100 billion in 2026 and multi-gigawatt nuclear deals already in motion, Meta is betting that what it needs next isn't another product executive—it's a rainmaker.
The Dealmaker's Portfolio
Powell McCormick brings a rare combination of global finance credentials and political access that few executives can match.
Her 16 years at Goldman Sachs+1.13% included senior leadership roles where she built relationships with sovereign wealth funds, institutional investors, and corporate leaders worldwide. She then served as deputy national security advisor to President Trump during his first term, gaining Washington experience that's now particularly valuable as the administration returns to power. Most recently, she ran global client services at BDT & MSD Partners, a Chicago-based merchant bank known for backing founder-led companies.
"Dina's experience at the highest levels of global finance, combined with her deep relationships around the world, makes her uniquely suited to help Meta manage this next phase of growth," Zuckerberg said in the announcement.
JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon endorsed the hire directly: "I've known Dina for about 20 years and run into her all over the world. She is a better banker and has more or better relationships than many big finance CEOs."
President Trump himself weighed in on Truth Social: "Congratulations to DINA POWELL MCCORMICK, WHO HAS JUST BEEN NAMED THE NEW PRESIDENT OF META. A great choice by Mark Z!!! She is a fantastic, and very talented, person, who served the Trump Administration with strength and distinction!"
Powell McCormick is married to Senator David McCormick (R-PA), the former CEO of Bridgewater Associates, creating yet another channel into Washington's power structure.
Ask Fintool AI AgentWhy Meta Needs a Dealmaker Now
The timing of this appointment is no coincidence. Meta is in the middle of the largest capital deployment in its history—and the company has acknowledged it can't do it alone.
The Infrastructure Spending Surge
Meta's capital expenditure trajectory has accelerated dramatically:
| Quarter | CapEx ($ Billions) |
|---|---|
| Q4 2024 | $14.4 |
| Q1 2025 | $12.9 |
| Q2 2025 | $16.5 |
| Q3 2025 | $18.8 |
The company has guided for $70-72 billion in total CapEx for 2025 and expects "significant capital expenditures growth in 2026." CFO Susan Li indicated at the Q2 earnings call that 2026 spending could approach or exceed $100 billion, adding: "We're also exploring ways to work with financial partners to co-develop data centers."
That last line is the key. Meta is actively seeking external capital to fund AI infrastructure—exactly the kind of deal that Powell McCormick has spent her career structuring.
The Nuclear Bet
Three days before announcing Powell McCormick's appointment, Meta unveiled landmark nuclear energy agreements that underscore the scale of its infrastructure ambitions. The deals with Vistra+3.73%, TerraPower, and Oklo-2.67% will provide up to 6.6 gigawatts of nuclear power by 2035—enough to light 5 million homes.
"Our agreements with Vistra, TerraPower, Oklo, and Constellation make Meta one of the most significant corporate purchasers of nuclear energy in American history," said Joel Kaplan, Meta's Chief Global Affairs Officer.
The nuclear portfolio now includes:
- Vistra: 20-year power purchase agreements from Perry and Davis-Besse plants in Ohio plus Beaver Valley in Pennsylvania, with expansions adding 2.1+ GW
- Oklo: Development funding for up to 1.2 GW of small modular reactors in Pike County, Ohio, potentially online by 2030
- TerraPower: Support for two reactors (690 MW by 2032) plus rights to six additional units (2.1 GW by 2035)
- Constellation: A separate 20-year deal for ~1.1 GW from the Clinton, Illinois plant signed in June 2025
These aren't just energy purchases—they're infrastructure investments requiring long-term financial commitments, government approvals, and complex deal structuring. Powell McCormick's background is tailor-made for this environment.
Ask Fintool AI AgentThe Financial Position
Meta's balance sheet can absorb enormous investments, but the company's cash position has declined substantially as spending accelerates:
| Metric | Q4 2024 | Q1 2025 | Q2 2025 | Q3 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue ($B) | $48.4 | $42.3 | $47.5 | $51.2 |
| Net Income ($B) | $20.8 | $16.6 | $18.3 | $2.7 |
| Cash & Equivalents ($B) | $43.9 | $28.8 | $12.0 | $10.2 |
Note: Q3 2025 net income was impacted by a one-time $15.9 billion tax charge related to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Cash and marketable securities totaled $44.45 billion as of September 30, 2025—down $33 billion from year-end 2024. The burn rate reflects the aggressive infrastructure buildout: $48.3 billion in property and equipment purchases through the first nine months of 2025, plus $18.3 billion in non-marketable equity investments.
The company generates substantial operating cash flow—$79.6 billion in the first nine months of 2025 —but infrastructure demands are outpacing internal generation. Hence the search for external financing partners.
The Strategic Calculus
Powell McCormick's mandate appears to extend well beyond capital formation. According to the company, she will "help guide Meta's overall strategy and execution" with particular focus on AI infrastructure efforts, maintaining strategic capital partnerships, and building relationships that support Meta's global ambitions.
What This Signals
Capital is the constraint, not talent. Meta has 78,450 employees and can hire virtually any AI researcher it wants. What it can't easily manufacture are the sovereign wealth fund relationships, infrastructure financing channels, and political access needed to deploy $100+ billion in a complex regulatory environment.
The AI race is now an infrastructure race. Zuckerberg has been explicit about building toward "superintelligence" and ensuring Meta has the compute capacity to train frontier AI models. But training at that scale requires not just servers—it requires power plants, grid upgrades, and decade-long energy commitments. That's a capital markets problem, not an engineering problem.
Political relationships matter more than ever. With the Trump administration's return, companies are rushing to strengthen Washington ties. Powell McCormick served in Trump's first-term White House and maintains relationships across the administration. Her appointment, announced on the same day Trump publicly endorsed it, suggests coordination between Meta and the incoming government.
Ask Fintool AI AgentMarket Reaction
Meta shares traded down 0.6% to $649.40 in Monday trading as of early afternoon, though the move appears driven more by broader market weakness related to the ongoing DOJ investigation into Fed Chair Powell than by the executive appointment.
The stock has traded in a range of $480-$796 over the past year, with a current market capitalization of approximately $1.64 trillion. At current levels, Meta trades at roughly 50x EBITDA margin.
What to Watch
Financing announcements. Powell McCormick's first major test will be structuring the external capital partnerships Meta has indicated it's pursuing. Look for announcements involving data center co-development deals, potentially with sovereign wealth funds or infrastructure-focused investors.
Political engagement. Her connections to the Trump administration could surface in policy areas from AI regulation to content moderation to international expansion. Watch for Meta's positioning on AI governance frameworks and infrastructure permitting.
Nuclear project milestones. The Vistra, Oklo, and TerraPower deals each have multi-year timelines with regulatory and construction hurdles. Progress (or delays) will signal whether the nuclear strategy can actually deliver power at scale.
Reality Labs trajectory. Meta's Q3 2025 results showed Reality Labs losing $4.4 billion quarterly with revenue of just $470 million. The company has said these losses will continue to grow. Powell McCormick's arrival doesn't change the fundamental question of whether the metaverse bet pays off.
Related Companies: Meta Platforms-1.70% · Vistra+3.73% · Oklo-2.67% · Goldman Sachs+1.13%