Carolyn Everson

Carolyn Everson
Nationality	American
Occupation	Business executive, corporate board director
Known for	Vice President of Global Marketing Solutions at Facebook (Meta); President of Instacart; corporate board member at The Walt Disney Company, The Coca-Cola Company, and Under Armour

Carolyn Everson is an American business executive who has held senior leadership positions at several major technology and media companies. She is best known for her tenure as Vice President of Global Marketing Solutions at Facebook (now Meta Platforms), where she served for more than a decade as the company's principal liaison to the global advertising community, overseeing the social media platform's relationships with its largest advertisers and agency partners. Following her departure from Meta in 2021, Everson briefly served as President of Instacart before transitioning into a portfolio of corporate board directorships and advisory roles. She sits on the boards of directors of The Walt Disney Company, The Coca-Cola Company, and Under Armour, and serves as a Senior Adviser to the global private equity firm Permira. Everson has been recognized as a prominent figure in digital advertising and media, frequently speaking on topics including digital transformation, artificial intelligence, corporate governance, and brand marketing strategy.

Career

Facebook (Meta Platforms)

Carolyn Everson joined Facebook in 2011 and served as the company's Vice President of Global Marketing Solutions, a role in which she was responsible for the platform's advertising business and its relationships with major brands and advertising agencies worldwide. During her more than ten years at the company, Everson functioned as the primary face of Facebook to the advertising industry, navigating the company's rapid growth into one of the world's dominant digital advertising platforms.

In a 2016 interview with Strategy+Business, Everson described Facebook's approach to advertising as focused on building enduring and meaningful relationships with brands at scale. She discussed the company's efforts to help marketers connect with consumers through the social network's extensive data capabilities and its growing suite of advertising products, including video, mobile, and Instagram-based formats. Everson emphasized the importance of creative storytelling in digital advertising and the role of mobile platforms in reshaping how brands reach audiences globally.

During her tenure, Facebook grew from a company still establishing its advertising model into one of the two largest digital advertising businesses in the world, alongside Google. Everson's role involved managing relationships with Fortune 500 companies and the world's largest advertising holding groups, and she represented the company at major industry events and during periods of public controversy regarding data privacy, political advertising, and content moderation.

CNBC reported in June 2021 that Everson was departing Facebook after more than a decade with the company. The report described her as the company's "ad chief" and noted her long-standing role as the face of Facebook's advertising operations to the broader marketing industry.

Instacart

Following her departure from Facebook, Everson was appointed President of Instacart, the online grocery delivery and pickup platform. Her appointment was reported in 2021, though her tenure at the company proved to be brief. After a short period as President, Everson departed Instacart, and subsequently pivoted toward corporate board service and advisory work.

Permira

In January 2023, Permira, the global private equity firm, announced that Everson had joined the firm as a Senior Adviser. The announcement described her as a "former Meta executive" and highlighted her decades of experience in digital media as an asset to Permira's investment activities. In the role, Everson was expected to bring her expertise in technology, digital advertising, and media to support Permira's portfolio companies and investment strategy.

Earlier Career

Prior to joining Facebook in 2011, Everson held senior positions in media and advertising. Her earlier career included roles that provided her with experience in traditional and digital media sales and marketing, which formed the foundation for her later leadership of Facebook's global advertising business. Details of her pre-Facebook career roles have been referenced in various industry profiles, though specific positions and dates prior to her Facebook appointment are not comprehensively documented in available sources.

Corporate Board Service

The Walt Disney Company

On September 30, 2022, The Walt Disney Company announced the appointment of Carolyn Everson to its Board of Directors. The company's press release described Everson as a "veteran media and technology executive" and cited her extensive experience in the digital media and advertising industries as qualifications for the board role.

As a Disney board member, Everson has been involved in governance discussions on a range of strategic topics. In a November 2025 interview with Bloomberg, Everson discussed how companies, including Disney, are utilizing artificial intelligence, the impact of tariffs on supply chains, and matters related to CEO succession planning at the company, including the eventual transition from CEO Bob Iger.

In February 2026, Fortune reported on Disney's CEO succession process, noting that the company had selected a new chief executive. The article discussed the composition of Disney's leadership structure, including the creation of a chief creative officer role. Everson's role as a board member placed her among those involved in the governance oversight of this leadership transition.

The Coca-Cola Company

Everson serves on the Board of Directors of The Coca-Cola Company, the Atlanta-based multinational beverage corporation. In her capacity as a Coca-Cola board member, Everson contributes governance oversight to one of the world's largest consumer products companies, which reported operating income of approximately US$9.992 billion and net income of approximately US$10.63 billion in 2024.

In November 2025, Everson participated in the Wall Street Journal Leadership Institute, where she drew on her experience as a director at Disney, Coca-Cola, and Under Armour to discuss how effective corporate boards approach competitive strategy and governance.

Under Armour

On January 31, 2023, Under Armour, Inc. announced the appointment of Carolyn Everson and Patrick Whitesell as members of its Board of Directors. The announcement noted Everson's background in media and technology as a valuable addition to the athletic apparel company's governance structure.

Public Speaking and Industry Engagement

Everson has been a frequent speaker at industry conferences, leadership forums, and media events throughout her career. Her 2016 interview with Strategy+Business explored Facebook's approach to advertising relationships at scale, covering topics including mobile-first marketing, creative storytelling, and the evolving role of data in brand strategy.

In November 2025, Everson appeared at the Wall Street Journal Leadership Institute, where she discussed how the most effective corporate boards approach questions of competitive advantage. Drawing on her experience serving on the boards of Disney, Coca-Cola, and Under Armour simultaneously, Everson addressed the challenges and opportunities facing boards in an era of technological disruption, including the adoption of artificial intelligence across industries.

In her November 2025 Bloomberg interview, Everson discussed the practical applications of AI within large corporations, the effects of trade policy and tariffs on global supply chains, and the governance challenges associated with CEO succession planning at major public companies.

Recognition

Carolyn Everson has been recognized as a leading figure in the digital advertising and media industries. Her decade-long tenure leading Facebook's global advertising sales operation placed her at the center of the digital advertising ecosystem during a period of transformative growth. CNBC's reporting on her 2021 departure from Facebook described her as the company's "ad chief" and noted her status as one of the most prominent executives in the advertising technology sector.

Her appointment to the boards of three major public companies — The Walt Disney Company, The Coca-Cola Company, and Under Armour — reflects her standing within the corporate governance community. The Walt Disney Company's 2022 announcement specifically cited her status as a "veteran media and technology executive" in announcing her board appointment.

Everson's appointment as Senior Adviser to Permira further demonstrated her recognition within the private equity and investment communities. Permira's January 2023 announcement highlighted her "decades of digital media expertise" as a distinguishing qualification.

Her appearances at forums such as the Wall Street Journal Leadership Institute and Bloomberg television indicate her continued role as a commentator and thought leader on corporate strategy, digital transformation, and governance issues.

Legacy

Carolyn Everson's career spans a period of fundamental transformation in the advertising and media industries, from the rise of social media advertising to the current era of artificial intelligence and data-driven marketing. Her role at Facebook during the company's growth into one of the world's two dominant digital advertising platforms positioned her as a central figure in the shift of advertising spending from traditional media to digital channels.

At Facebook, Everson oversaw the company's relationships with major global advertisers during a period when the platform evolved from an emerging advertising channel into a core component of most large companies' marketing strategies. Her ability to represent the company to the advertising community during both periods of rapid growth and periods of public scrutiny regarding data privacy and content moderation established her reputation as a skilled executive capable of navigating complex stakeholder relationships.

Her transition from an operating executive role at a single technology company to a portfolio of board directorships at Disney, Coca-Cola, and Under Armour, combined with her advisory role at Permira, reflects a broader trend among senior technology executives who leverage their digital expertise across multiple industries through governance and advisory positions. Everson's simultaneous service on the boards of a major entertainment conglomerate, a global beverage company, and an athletic apparel brand illustrates the value placed on digital media expertise in corporate governance across diverse sectors.

Her public commentary on topics including artificial intelligence, tariff policy, and CEO succession indicates her ongoing engagement with the strategic issues facing major corporations in the mid-2020s.