The Woman Who Has Worked Alongside Mark Zuckerberg Longer Than Almost Anyone Else

For nearly two decades, Naomi Gleit has had a front-row seat to one of the most remarkable transformations in modern business history.

When she joined Facebook in 2006, she was employee number 29. Today, she holds a distinction few can claim: she is Meta’s longest-serving employee apart from founder Mark Zuckerberg himself.

From a small social networking startup operating out of Silicon Valley to a global technology giant influencing billions of lives, Gleit has witnessed every major milestone, controversy, and reinvention. Now serving as Meta’s Head of Product, she remains one of the company’s most enduring voices as it navigates its latest frontier – artificial intelligence.

A Career Choice That Raised Eyebrows

When Gleit accepted a role at the young startup, not everyone was convinced she was making the right decision.

At just 21 years old, she turned down more conventional career paths in favour of an untested social media company.

Looking back, she recalls the reaction at home with humour.

“My mom was very disappointed, she wanted me to work for Lehman Brothers,” she laughs.

History, of course, would take a different turn. Lehman Brothers collapsed during the 2008 financial crisis, while Facebook grew into one of the world’s most influential technology companies before eventually becoming Meta.

Living Through Meta’s Most Challenging Moments

The journey has not been without turbulence.

Over the years, Meta has found itself at the centre of debates surrounding privacy, election interference, online safety, mental health, misinformation, and the broader responsibilities of technology platforms.

Gleit acknowledges that the company has not always got everything right.

There have been moments, she admits, when Meta “didn’t meet our standards” or failed to deliver on expectations.

Yet she remains proud of the company’s achievements and believes some of its most criticised philosophies have often been misunderstood.

One example is Facebook’s famous motto, “move fast and break things.”

According to Gleit, it was a principle that many people viewed without considering the broader context in which it was intended.

Defending Zuckerberg’s Reputation

Few technology executives attract as much scrutiny as Mark Zuckerberg.

Over the years, the Meta founder has become a polarising figure, often portrayed as the embodiment of Big Tech power. Popular culture has reinforced that image through films and television portrayals, including Jesse Eisenberg’s depiction in The Social Network and the upcoming drama The Social Reckoning.

But Gleit believes the public perception of Zuckerberg is far removed from reality.

“I think that the difference between what people think of Mark and how Mark actually is, is huge,” she says.

Beyond the boardroom, she describes him as a devoted family man.

“He’s also a great husband and a great dad to three little kids, and it’s been really incredible to watch just how he’s become the leader that he is today,” Gleit says.

When asked what Zuckerberg is like as a manager, she pauses briefly before offering a simple answer.

“Awesome.”

One of her colleagues jokingly suggests that response might end up appearing in her next performance review.

Betting Big on AI

Today, Meta’s focus is firmly fixed on artificial intelligence.

Gleit recently travelled to the UK from the company’s US headquarters to discuss one of the firm’s most ambitious projects yet: AI agents.

Unlike traditional chatbots that simply answer questions, AI agents are designed to carry out tasks autonomously. Meta sees them as a powerful tool for businesses, particularly through WhatsApp, which serves billions of users globally and millions of businesses.

Gleit believes the technology could dramatically level the playing field for smaller companies.

“We’re really focused on what businesses need, and what they tell us is they’re getting so many messages from people,” she says.

The company plans to offer AI-powered customer service tools that can operate continuously while also generating valuable business insights.

Balancing Innovation and Safety

The rise of AI has also introduced new concerns.

Questions about reliability, security, and accountability continue to follow the technology’s rapid development.

Recently, Meta had to address a vulnerability involving an Instagram AI support system that allowed hackers to exploit weaknesses and gain access to user accounts.

Gleit argues the issue was unrelated to the AI agent itself but acknowledges that trust remains critical.

“Safety is our priority and focus,” she says.

She believes AI can democratise access to capabilities previously reserved for large corporations with extensive resources.

What Happens to Human Jobs?

As AI becomes more capable, concerns about employment continue to grow.

Meta itself has reduced headcount in recent years while increasing investment in artificial intelligence, fuelling questions about whether automation could replace large numbers of workers.

Gleit does not deny that change is coming.

“There is no doubt AI will transform the workforce,” she says.

However, she sees the technology creating opportunities as well as disruption.

Drawing from her own experience, she notes that many modern careers did not exist a generation ago.

“When I was growing up my job as a product manager didn’t exist because there was no internet,” she says.

For her, technological revolutions have historically created entirely new categories of work, even as they eliminate others.

Learning New Skills in the AI Era

One of the most striking changes, according to Gleit, is how AI is reshaping the way people learn.

Despite spending her career in technology, she says artificial intelligence has enabled her to acquire skills she previously lacked.

“Thanks to AI, I am able to code for the first time in my life,” she says.

Even Zuckerberg, who built Facebook by writing code himself, has returned to programming with the help of modern AI tools.

“Even at work we are all learning new skills,” Gleit says.

A Front-Row Seat to the Future

After nearly 20 years at Meta, Naomi Gleit has experienced almost every chapter of the company’s story – from startup ambition and explosive growth to public scrutiny and technological reinvention.

Now, as artificial intelligence becomes the next defining challenge for the technology industry, she finds herself once again at the centre of a transformation.

Whether AI agents become the next major business revolution remains to be seen. But if Gleit’s career offers any indication, she will likely be there to witness the outcome, just as she has been since employee number 29 walked through Facebook’s doors nearly two decades ago.