Following Antonio Lucio’s Retirement, Facebook Promotes Product Growth VP to CMO

The announcement comes 11 days after the departure of marketing legend Antonio Lucio, who spent the last two years of his four-decade career as Facebook’s CMO. Lucio joined in 2018, helping the brand navigate crises including the Cambridge Analytica scandal, increased scrutiny for hate speech and misinformation on the platform, and a lawsuit over alleged anti-competitive behavior.

Now, Schultz is stepping up into the role of top marketer for the brand as the nation prepares for a presidential election that could have serious implications for big tech companies like Facebook.

In a post on his personal Facebook page, Schultz thanked Lucio for “being a great friend, colleague, creative leader and voice of experience and wisdom for this company,” adding that he hopes to build on the groundwork that Lucio laid.

With a background in online marketing and analytics, Schultz has served in several different roles at Facebook. He started at the company in 2007 as an analyst, moving up through management and directorship roles to the vp position that he’s held since 2014.

For the last four years, Schultz wrote in his post, he’s been focused on building Facebook’s safety framework, including the brand’s first Community Standards Enforcement Report, which was published in August.

While he acknowledges that scrutiny of any new technology is “appropriate,” Schultz also points to the potential that the platform has created for economic empowerment and personal connection, especially the way that it’s served users during the pandemic. “I believe social media is a force for good in the world and am proud of the work we’re doing to make it even more so,” he wrote.