Facebook turns 12 this February 4th but it is hard to imagine that when it first filed for its IPO in February of 2012, it was still only a website with an associated app. At that time, many of the experts questioned if it could even become profitable.
Now, it boosts a whole eco-system which in addition to its 1.5 billion users of the core Facebook services includes; 900 million users of WhatsApp, 700 million users of Messenger and Groups (that is 700 million each) and 400 million users of Instagram.
Since its IPO, it added Instagram and WhatsApp to its mix which increased its eco-system exponentially, yet its evolution to greater things had begun much earlier than that. Back in 2007 and 2008, Facebook sought out experienced leaders in Silicon Valley to hire and insert into key leadership roles within the social network and its eco-system. These included the hiring of Sheryl Sandberg as Chief Operating Officer, having poached her from Google and the hiring of Mike Schroepfer as Chief Technology Officer, having poached him from Mozilla.
For more industry insights into how the world’s largest social network has evolved over the past twelve years and where it intends to take us in the future, have a look at this infographic produced by the team at One Productions.
