Twelve years after joining Facebook, Laurent Solly has announced he is stepping down as Meta’s vice president for Europe. The group has yet to name a successor and is also contending with the departure of Yann LeCun, who led its artificial intelligence projects.
Laurent Solly – AFP
Laurent Solly joined Facebook in June 2013 as managing director for France. Three years later, he became vice president for Southern Europe, before being appointed vice president for Europe in 2025. Prior to that, he spent six years at the TF1 group, where he oversaw its advertising business. From 1996 to 2007, he worked in the public sector and served as deputy director of Nicolas Sarkozy’s 2007 presidential campaign.
“This adventure at Meta has given me immense professional satisfaction, introduced me to Silicon Valley, its boundless energy and ambition, exposed me to new markets and cultures, taught me about international business, helped me understand the intensity and speed of the technological transformations under way, and made me realise the impact of the upheavals, opportunities, and challenges we are experiencing,” says the executive.
While no successor has yet been named to take on the European vice presidency, Laurent Solly’s former role as head of the group’s French operations was filled over the summer by Pierric Duthoit, who reports to Derya Matras, vice president for EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa).
The “godfather of AI” departs
Laurent Solly’s departure comes on top of another high-profile French exit. In November, Yann LeCun, one of Meta’s leading experts in artificial intelligence, a pioneer of deep learning, and commonly referred to as one of the “godfathers of AI,” left the group.
Yann LeCun – DR
In a mid-December interview, he cited mounting pressure from Mark Zuckerberg and senior leadership, which he said led to the failure of the Llama 4 AI model, deemed obsolete upon its unveiling in April 2025.
Yann LeCun is now targeting a $3 billion valuation for his venture, Advanced Machine Intelligence Labs, which seeks to go beyond language models (LLMs) to develop advanced AI systems capable of understanding the world, not just generating text or statistical responses.
Meta generated €158.1 billion in revenue in 2024, with estimated EBITDA of €94.5 billion. The US and Canada accounted for 38.5% of revenue, followed by Asia-Pacific (27.3%) and Europe (23.3%). The group derives 94.3% of its revenue from advertising, compared with around 1% from services (payments, premium subscriptions, licences, etc.) and 1.3% from virtual reality- an area that, before the advent of generative AI, was expected to become a growth driver for the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and WhatsApp.
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Alo announced on Saturday the appointment of Benedetta Petruzzo to the role of chief executive of its international operations.
Bernadetta Petruzzo – Courtesy
In her new role, Petruzzo will manage the Los Angeles-based activewear brand’s global operations, focusing on client experience, market strategy and brand identity, as well as its wellness category, according to the company.
A luxury veteran, Petruzzo joins Alo from luxury heavyweight Dior, where she served as managing director. Prior to that, the executive was the CEO of Prada-owned Miu Miu. Earlier in her career, Petruzzo spent five years at Kering Eyewear, operating in various leadership roles, after a five-year stint at consultancy firm, Bain & Co.
Hollywood’s top stars hit the red carpet on Sunday for the Golden Globes, the first major event on the road to the Oscars, and they delivered lots of old-school glamour.
Ariana Grande – AFP
Here is a glance at some of the looks seen at the Beverly Hilton Hotel:
Ever-chic black
Selena Gomez is a newlywed and her happiness shows. The best comedy actress nominee for her work on “Only Murders in the Building” radiated joy as she arrived on the arm of her husband Benny Blanco.
She oozed sophistication in a black Chanel column gown with a frothy white feathered strapless neckline, her black bob swept into soft waves.
Gomez was not alone in striking an understated pose, with lots of stars opting for black or dark, wintry hues.
Teyana Taylor, a winner for her searing turn as a leftist revolutionary in hotly-tipped film “One Battle After Another,” scorched the carpet in a cut-out backless black Schiaparelli gown with a halter neckline — and a cheeky crystal bow on her backside.
Ariana Grande (“Wicked: For Good”), who competed with Taylor for the award for best supporting actress, turned heads in a black textured Vivienne Westwood ballgown with an asymmetrical neckline and a bubble silhouette before trailing to the floor.
Her hair was swept into her signature ponytail, and she kept the jewelry simple with a diamond choker.
Amy Madigan, also in their category for her villainous turn in “Weapons,” went for a tuxedo look with cropped pants and patent leather boots.
Nominee Jenna Ortega embraced the goth chic of her title character in “Wednesday” in a black high-neck Dilara Findikoglu gown with glittering epaulets and cut-offs that revealed a bit of side boob… and part of her hip bone.
Among the male stars in attendance, Colman Domingo was as usual a standout, wearing head-to-toe black Valentino, with silvery appliques scattered from his left shoulder down his lapel to his waist.
Jennifer Lopez is no stranger to strong fashion statements. Her plunging green Versace gown at the Grammys in 2000 is still a reference for winning the red carpet by adopting the “less is more” rule.
On Sunday, Lopez — whose turn in “Kiss of the Spider Woman” was overlooked by Globes voters — wore a figure-hugging sheer gown with bronze patterns snaking over her body, ending in a mermaid fishtail.
Jennifer Lawrence –nominated for best drama actress in a film for “Die My Love” — got the memo as well, rocking a barely-there sheer nude Givenchy gown with only a smattering of strategically placed flowers.
Stars slam deadly ICE shooting
Hollywood never quite has a night out without a bit of politics coming into play.
On Sunday, some of the stars including nominee Mark Ruffalo wore pins with the messages “BE GOOD” — a reference to Renee Good, the Minneapolis woman who was shot and killed by a federal immigration agent.
Comedian WandaSykes wore the same pin on her lapel, while actress Natasha Lyonne, a nominee for her TV show “Poker Face,” attached one to her clutch handbag.
The campaign is endorsed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), one of the country’s most prominent civil rights organizations.By Frederic J. Brown with Susan Stumme in Washington
L.L. Bean announced on Friday the promotion of company veteran Greg Elder to the role of president and chief executive officer.
Greg Elder – Courtesy
Elder succeeds Stephen Smith, who will depart the American heritage apparel company after ten years as CEO.
Elder will transition into his new role as CEO during the first quarter, with Smith continuing to serve on the board as an adviser until March.
Joining L.L. Bean in 2007, Elder has held several leadership positions at the company, including chief retail officer, his most recent post.
Prior to that, he held leadership roles at Eddie Bauer and Dayton Hudson Corporation, now known as Target. Elder is also a member of the Retail Industry Leaders Association.
“We were deliberate in finding a leader who will continue to honor our brand heritage while positioning us for the next era of growth,” Shawn Gorman, chairman of the board of L.L. Bean said in a statement. “Greg rose to the top because of his deep respect for our history, incredible knowledge of our business, strong track record of results and clear vision for the future.”
Elder will be the Freeport, Maine-based company’s fifth CEO in its 114-year history.
“What makes L.L.Bean truly special is its people and purpose. I’m proud to take on this responsibility alongside such a committed and talented team, and I’m grateful for the trust of the Bean family and our board as we begin this next chapter together,” said Elder.
“I’m also thankful for the past 10 years of leadership and friendship from Stephen Smith, who has led the company with heart and conviction through some particularly challenging seasons.
“This brand has been part of my life for many years, and it has deep personal meaning for me to accept this role. Our heritage, our connection to the outdoors and our culture of service and craftsmanship are powerful foundations. At the same time, we have an opportunity and a responsibility to keep evolving: to sharpen our product focus, deepen our connection with customers and ensure L.L.Bean remains relevant and inspiring for the next generation.”