Meg Whitman

Meg Whitman
Born	Margaret Cushing Whitman 4 8, 1956
Birthplace	Huntington, New York, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation	Business executive, diplomat
Known for	CEO of eBay (1998–2008), CEO of Hewlett-Packard (2011–2015), CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise (2015–2018), U.S. Ambassador to Kenya (2022–2024)
Education	Princeton University (AB) Harvard University (MBA)
Children	2
Awards	Forbes 100 Most Powerful Women (2014)

Margaret Cushing Whitman (born August 4, 1956), known as Meg Whitman, is an American business executive, diplomat, and political figure whose career has spanned some of the most consequential chapters in American technology and commerce. She is best known for her decade-long tenure as president and chief executive officer of eBay, during which she oversaw the company's growth from a small online auction site into a global e-commerce platform. She subsequently served as CEO of Hewlett-Packard and its successor company Hewlett Packard Enterprise, and held the role of CEO at the short-form streaming service Quibi. In 2010, Whitman ran as the Republican candidate for governor of California, spending more of her own money on a single election than any other political candidate in American history at that time. She lost the general election to Democrat Jerry Brown. From August 2022 to November 2024, she served as the United States Ambassador to Kenya under President Joe Biden. In 2014, Forbes named Whitman 20th on its list of the 100 Most Powerful Women in the World. Since leaving diplomatic service, Whitman has joined the boards of several technology companies, including CoreWeave and Motive, and returned to the board of The Nature Conservancy.

Early Life

Margaret Cushing Whitman was born on August 4, 1956, in Huntington, New York, a hamlet on the north shore of Long Island. She grew up in a well-established family on Long Island. As a young woman, Whitman developed an interest in science and medicine, initially intending to pursue a career in that direction before ultimately gravitating toward business.

Details of Whitman's childhood and upbringing have been documented in various biographical profiles. She attended Cold Spring Harbor High School on Long Island before enrolling at Princeton University. Her formative years on Long Island shaped her early worldview, and she has spoken in interviews about the influence of her family's emphasis on education and achievement.

Education

Whitman attended Princeton University, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree. She subsequently enrolled at Harvard Business School, earning a Master of Business Administration (MBA). Her education at two of America's most competitive institutions provided the foundation for a career that would eventually place her at the helm of some of the country's largest and most prominent corporations. At Princeton, Whitman originally considered studying pre-medicine before shifting her focus to economics and business, a decision that proved pivotal to her subsequent career trajectory.

Career

Early Business Career and The Walt Disney Company

Before her landmark tenure at eBay, Whitman held a series of positions in corporate America that established her credentials as a marketing and management executive. She worked at several major corporations, including Procter & Gamble, Bain & Company, and The Walt Disney Company. At Disney, she gained experience in consumer brands and strategic planning, skills that would prove invaluable in her later roles. These early career stops gave her a broad foundation in brand management, corporate strategy, and consumer engagement. Her work across diverse industries — from consumer products to consulting to entertainment — provided a versatile skill set that would distinguish her leadership style in the technology sector.

eBay (1998–2008)

Whitman's most defining business role began in 1998 when she was recruited to serve as president and chief executive officer of eBay, then a fledgling online auction company with approximately 30 employees and $4.7 million in revenue. Over the course of her decade-long leadership, Whitman transformed eBay into one of the world's largest e-commerce platforms. Under her stewardship, the company grew to approximately 15,000 employees and generated billions of dollars in annual revenue.

Whitman oversaw eBay's initial public offering and its rapid expansion into international markets. She guided the company through the dot-com bubble and bust of the early 2000s, a period that devastated many internet-based businesses. eBay's survival and continued growth during this turbulent period was frequently attributed to the company's focus on profitability and its community-driven business model under Whitman's leadership.

During her tenure, eBay completed several significant acquisitions, including the purchase of PayPal, which became one of the company's most valuable assets. The integration of PayPal into the eBay ecosystem created a seamless payment system that significantly enhanced the user experience and contributed to the platform's growth.

Whitman was recognized by the Harvard Business Review as one of the top-performing CEOs in the world for her work at eBay. She stepped down as CEO of eBay in March 2008, though she remained on the company's board of directors for a period afterward.

Hewlett-Packard and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (2011–2018)

In September 2011, Whitman was named president and chief executive officer of Hewlett-Packard (HP), one of the world's largest technology companies, succeeding Léo Apotheker, whose brief tenure had been marked by strategic missteps and declining investor confidence. Whitman inherited a company facing significant challenges, including questions about its future direction in the PC business, enterprise services, and software.

One of Whitman's most consequential decisions at HP was the company's split into two separate publicly traded entities in 2015. Hewlett-Packard was divided into HP Inc., which focused on personal computers and printers, and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), which concentrated on enterprise products and services, including servers, storage, networking, and consulting. Whitman became the CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise following the split.

The restructuring was one of the largest corporate separations in technology history and was designed to allow each company to be more agile and focused in its respective market. Whitman argued that the split would enable both companies to better compete in their distinct markets and respond more quickly to customer needs.

During her time at HP and HPE, Whitman also oversaw significant workforce reductions as part of the company's restructuring efforts. These layoffs drew criticism, particularly when Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney praised Whitman during the 2012 campaign at a time when HP was announcing plans to cut tens of thousands of jobs.

Whitman stepped down as CEO of Hewlett Packard Enterprise in February 2018, handing the role to Antonio Neri. Her combined tenure at HP and HPE lasted more than six years, making her one of the longer-serving leaders of the company during a period of considerable industry upheaval.

Quibi (2018–2020)

Following her departure from Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Whitman partnered with Hollywood executive Jeffrey Katzenberg to launch Quibi, a short-form streaming video platform designed for mobile viewing. Whitman served as CEO of the venture, which aimed to create a new category of entertainment with episodes lasting ten minutes or less.

Quibi launched in April 2020, just weeks after the COVID-19 pandemic led to widespread lockdowns across the United States. The timing proved devastating for a platform designed around on-the-go mobile viewing. Despite raising approximately $1.75 billion in funding before launch, Quibi struggled to attract and retain subscribers. The service shut down in December 2020, only about six months after its launch, making it one of the most high-profile startup failures in recent entertainment industry history.

The failure of Quibi was attributed to several factors, including the pandemic's impact on commuting patterns, intense competition from established streaming services, and questions about whether the short-form mobile format could sustain a premium subscription model. Both Whitman and Katzenberg publicly acknowledged that the venture had not succeeded and took responsibility for its shortcomings.

U.S. Ambassador to Kenya (2022–2024)

In December 2021, President Joe Biden nominated Whitman to serve as the United States Ambassador to Kenya. She was confirmed by the United States Senate and assumed the post on August 5, 2022, succeeding Kyle McCarter, who had served under President Donald Trump.

As ambassador, Whitman represented the United States in one of Africa's most strategically important nations. Kenya serves as a major hub for East African commerce, technology, and diplomacy, and the U.S.-Kenya relationship encompasses trade, security cooperation, and development assistance. Whitman's business background was seen as an asset in strengthening commercial ties between the two countries.

Whitman served as ambassador until November 13, 2024, when she departed the post. She was succeeded by Marc Dillard, who served as chargé d'affaires.

Post-Ambassadorial Career

Following her return to the United States, Whitman resumed activity in the private sector and civic life. In March 2025, she was appointed as an independent member of the board of directors of CoreWeave, an AI infrastructure company that was preparing for its initial public offering.

In September 2025, Whitman was appointed to the board of directors of Motive, an AI-powered integrated operations platform for the physical economy. That same month, Fortune magazine highlighted her latest board appointments as part of its coverage of notable moves among its Most Powerful Women cohort.

In October 2025, The Nature Conservancy announced Whitman's return to its global board of directors, a position she had previously held before her ambassadorial appointment.

In November 2025, Whitman spoke publicly about economic development in New Mexico, where she has taken up residence in Albuquerque. In a public address, she called for changes to the state's approach to its economy, education system, and health care, stating that "New Mexico is not a poor state" and urging leaders to rewrite the state's economic narrative.

She has also spoken on leadership and corporate governance issues, including reflections on how tariffs and trade tensions have affected global markets and how corporate boards can navigate periods of economic uncertainty.

Political Career and Activities

2010 California Gubernatorial Campaign

Whitman entered the political arena in 2009 when she announced her candidacy for governor of California as a Republican. She won the Republican primary and faced Democrat Jerry Brown, who had previously served as governor, in the general election.

Whitman's campaign was notable for its extraordinary level of self-funding. She spent approximately $144 million of her own fortune on the race, with total campaign expenditures reaching $178.5 million including donor contributions. At the time, this represented the most money any political candidate in American history had spent of their own funds on a single election. This record was later surpassed only by Michael Bloomberg in the 2020 presidential election.

On the campaign trail, Whitman staked out positions on several key California issues. She expressed opposition to California's AB 32, the state's greenhouse gas reduction initiative, calling for its suspension during the economic downturn. On immigration, she addressed the issue of illegal immigration in California, at one point discussing the possibility of a path to citizenship.

Despite her record spending, Whitman lost the general election to Brown by a significant margin, with Brown winning 54% of the vote to Whitman's 41%.

Presidential Campaign Involvement

Whitman served as a senior campaign official for Republican Mitt Romney during both his 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns. During the 2012 cycle, she was mentioned as a potential cabinet official in a Romney administration, with speculation centering on possible roles related to commerce or technology.

Party Affiliation and Shifts

While Whitman was a registered Republican during her gubernatorial campaign and her work with the Romney campaigns, she later crossed party lines in presidential elections. She supported Democrat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election and Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election. By 2025, Whitman stated that she was a registered Democrat.

Personal Life

Meg Whitman has two children. Following her tenure as U.S. Ambassador to Kenya, Whitman took up residence in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Whitman has been involved in philanthropic and conservation work. She has served on the board of directors of The Nature Conservancy, one of the world's largest environmental nonprofit organizations. She stepped down from the board when she was appointed ambassador to Kenya in 2022 and returned to the board in 2025.

In 2010, Whitman was reported to be the fifth-wealthiest woman in California, with an estimated net worth of $1.3 billion.

Recognition

In 2008, The New York Times cited Whitman as among the women most likely to become the first female president of the United States, reflecting her prominence in both business and political circles at that time.

In 2014, Forbes named Whitman 20th on its annual list of the 100 Most Powerful Women in the World, a ranking that recognized her leadership of Hewlett-Packard, one of the largest technology companies in the world at the time.

The Harvard Business Review included Whitman among its ranking of the best-performing CEOs in the world, based on her record of growth and value creation during her tenure at eBay.

In 2025, Fortune magazine continued to include Whitman in its coverage of notable women in business leadership, highlighting her ongoing influence through her board appointments at technology companies.

Legacy

Meg Whitman's career has spanned nearly four decades of American business, politics, and diplomacy. Her tenure at eBay is frequently cited as one of the most successful examples of executive leadership during the rise of the commercial internet. She took charge of a startup and guided it into a global company that fundamentally changed how millions of people bought and sold goods. The platform she helped build became a model for peer-to-peer e-commerce and influenced the development of the broader digital marketplace economy.

Her time at Hewlett-Packard and Hewlett Packard Enterprise represented a different kind of challenge — the restructuring and separation of a legacy technology conglomerate during a period of rapid industry change. The decision to split HP into two companies was one of the most significant corporate restructurings in the technology sector and has been studied as a case in how large organizations can attempt to remain competitive through strategic separation.

The failure of Quibi provided a contrasting chapter, illustrating the risks inherent in launching a new media platform, particularly one that depended on specific consumer behaviors that were disrupted by unforeseen circumstances. The venture's rapid rise and fall has become a case study in business schools and media industry analysis.

Whitman's political career, while unsuccessful in its primary objective of winning the California governorship, was notable for its scale of self-funding and its illustration of the intersection between corporate leadership and political ambition. Her subsequent shift in party affiliation from Republican to Democrat reflected broader trends among some business leaders during a period of significant political realignment in the United States.

Her appointment as ambassador to Kenya represented a transition from corporate leadership and domestic politics to international diplomacy, further extending the breadth of her public service career. Following her ambassadorship, Whitman's continued involvement in corporate governance — particularly in the artificial intelligence sector through her board roles at CoreWeave and Motive — suggests an ongoing engagement with emerging technology trends.