By Eva Mathews and Dawn Chmielewski(Reuters) - Facebook-parent Meta Platforms Inc said on Monday that billionaire investor Peter Thiel, an early investor who has been on the company's board since 2005, has decided to retire. "His talents will serve Meta well as he leads the company into a new era," Thiel said in the statement announcing his departure from the board. Thiel plans in particular to help Blake Masters, a Republican candidate hoping to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, the person familiar with the situation said. Thiel's backing of Trump was unusual in Silicon Valley and led to dispute with fellow Facebook director, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings. (Reporting by Eva Mathews in Bengaluru; additional reporting by Dawn Chmielewski; Editing by Anil D'Silva, Peter Henderson and Lincoln Feast.)

Source: Wall Street Journal February 07, 2022 22:10 UTC