Who is Dina Powell McCormick: Biography and Career Overview

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Image Credits:: Chandan Khanna—AFP/Getty Images Via fortune.com

Dina Powell McCormick, an Egyptian-American executive with a career spanning finance, government, and international affairs, was appointed president and vice chairman of Meta Platforms on January 12, 2026. The role positions her to oversee strategic partnerships, policy, and AI infrastructure expansion, reporting directly to CEO Mark Zuckerberg.

Born Dina Habib on June 12, 1973, in Cairo, Egypt, to Coptic Christian parents from a middle-class family, Powell McCormick immigrated to the United States at age 4. Her family settled in Dallas, Texas, where she learned English and adapted to American life. Her parents worked multiple jobs, her father as a school bus driver and convenience store owner, to support her and her sisters. She attended Ursuline Academy in Dallas and earned a bachelor’s degree in humanities from the University of Texas at Austin in 1995. Reports also indicate she holds a JD from the UT School of Law, though her career has focused more on public service and finance.

Powell McCormick’s professional journey began in public service on Capitol Hill and at the Republican National Committee. By age 27, she joined the George W. Bush administration as Assistant to the President for Presidential Personnel from 2001 to 2005, managing executive branch appointments. She later served as Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs and Deputy Undersecretary of State for Public Affairs and Public Diplomacy from 2005 to 2007, emphasizing U.S. cultural diplomacy, educational exchanges, and Middle East policy in the post-9/11 era.

In 2007, she transitioned to the private sector, joining Goldman Sachs as a managing director. Promoted to partner in 2010, she spent 16 years in senior roles, initially leading the Impact Investing Business and Environmental Markets Group from 2007 to 2017. As president of the Goldman Sachs Foundation, she spearheaded initiatives like 10,000 Women (providing business education and capital to female entrepreneurs globally), 10,000 Small Businesses, and One Million Black Women, focusing on economic empowerment for underserved communities.

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She left Goldman in 2017 to serve as Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategy under President Donald Trump, coordinating foreign policy and Middle East initiatives until 2018. Returning to Goldman, she became Global Head of Sovereign Business, managing institutional investor relationships, and Global Head of Sustainability and Inclusive Growth. She joined the firm’s Management Committee and Firmwide Client and Business Standards Committee, advising on climate finance and sustainable investments.

In 2023, Powell McCormick departed Goldman to become vice chairman, president, and head of global client services at merchant bank BDT & MSD Partners. She served on Meta’s board of directors from April to December 2025 before her executive role.

Throughout her career, Powell McCormick has held board positions at ExxonMobil, the Robin Hood Foundation (as chair, combating poverty in New York City), the National Geographic Society, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Mount Sinai Hospital, and the Atlantic Council. Her accolades include the University of Texas at Austin’s Outstanding Young Texas Ex Award in 2006.

Personally, Powell McCormick was married to Richard Powell from 1998 to 2017, with whom she has two daughters. She married financier and former government official Dave McCormick in 2019. Her multicultural background, including fluency in Arabic and ties to Egypt, has shaped her focus on international diplomacy and global finance.

Zuckerberg praised her appointment, citing her “experience at the highest levels of global finance” and “deep relationships around the world” as key to Meta’s growth phase.

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