"Joe's arrival brings new skills and greater depth to our team very busy," said Facebook vice president of Global Marketing Communications and Public Policy Elliot Schrage said in a statement of Mashable. "His experience in the construction and operation of a press office in the White House gives special thanks to the demands of a global news cycle, 24 hours and the challenges of responding effectively to intense scrutiny."
Lockhart was on 22 the White House press secretary from August 1998 to September 2000. During that time, he defended President Clinton during impeachment trials (the Lewinsky scandal was gaining momentum when he went to the office) and was press secretary during the Elian Gonzalez case.
Lockhart is responsible for the corporate enterprise policies and international communications equipment, according to a Facebook spokesperson we talked. The officer will begin July 15. Although currently living in Washington, DC, will be moving to California as soon as family commitments allow. "
Lockhart brings a lot of communication experience to the table beyond his time as press secretary for Clinton. He was an executive vice president of Bozell Sawyer Miller and founded Glover Park Group, a strategic communications firm with a large list of blue chip customers in 2001. Previously he was a television journalist for CNN, NBC News and other networks.
Facebook has been in need of some muscle of communications from the departure of former director of corporate communications, Brandee Barker. Barker, who was with the company for four years, left the company last year to start his own consulting firm for start-ups. Facebook was in talks with former press secretary for Obama, Robert Gibbs, but it seems that the negotiations failed.
April 1, 2000 have unearthed video of Lockhart, speaking to reporters on the González case. Let us know what you think about Facebook's new hire executive comments.