Josh Elman Leaving Facebook, Returning to More “Hands-On” Product Role
Facebook Platform Program Manager Josh Elman, who has been with the company since early 2008, has decided to leave Facebook. Elman, who worked on the launch of Facebook Connect and has been focused on helping large developers like the Huffington Post, JibJab, and others launch Connect integrations since, says he is primarily looking to return to a more hands-on product role. Elman’s last day at the company was Friday, and he says he and Facebook are parting on positive terms.
Prior to joining Facebook last year, Elman was head of product management at Zazzle, and before that was a senior product manager at LinkedIn. At Facebook, he has played more of a product marketing role, helping “almost everyone” who has used Connect. While Elman hasn’t finalized his next move yet, he says he is exploring several “exciting opportunities.”
“Josh was a great illustration of an ideal Facebook Platform team member,” says Keith Rabois, VP of Strategy and Business Development at Slide, one of the largest developers on the Facebook Platform, of Elman. “It was obvious that he cares deeply about Facebook succeeding with their Platform and developers succeeding with their businesses. Even when we disagreed with Josh, which could be quite often, he was quite transparent about Facebook’s reasoning and principles, and was willing to genuinely listen to developer feedback and try to accommodate developers’ interests.”
Elman leaves at a time when the Facebook Platform team has stabilized following Ben Ling’s departure last August. After Ling left Facebook to take the Director of Partnerships, Platform, and Syndication role at Google (where he worked previous to joining Facebook), VP of Communications and Public Policy Elliot Schrage took over as interim head of Facebook Platform marketing until Ethan Beard moved into that role in January of this year. Around the same time, Mike Vernal took over for Charlie Cheever as head of Facebook Platform and Connect engineering. Justin Osofsky also joined Beard in Platform marketing after a year in business development in May.
September 19th, 2009 at 2:02 pm
Josh is a super guy and will make great things happen whatever he decides to do next.
Kevin
September 19th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
I want to echo Keith’s quote. As a FB Connect developer nowhere near as big as Slide (we built http://tweetpo.st), Josh’s hands-on approach was even more impressive. I believe his willingness to engage in open and honest discussions with developers (of all sizes) reflected Josh’s understanding that a great platform is constantly evolving and that enabling innovation often requires you to accommodate cases you never thought of.
Josh’s public evangelism of FB Connect drove awareness, but I think it was his direct interactions with developers and ability to reconcile their needs with the sometimes conflicting parameters of the platform that has really made it the success it is today.
This is a great loss for FB Connect developers, and I hope FB knows they have a very tough act to follow with whoever comes after Josh. Congratulations Josh and best of luck!
September 19th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Interesting, could he stay in the same field. do the same thing, only this time heading the service providing from his own helm.
The evolution of Facebook Connect could and its successful integration could, and it probably will be, a game changer.
After all, there’s a big and clear money making process to follow the growth beyond facebook.com.
Not sure what Mr. Elman’s role will be, but sure enough Facebook Connect sets the theatre for a huge leap.
Good things. :)
September 19th, 2009 at 7:03 pm
Josh was fantastic to work with, bringing a surprising level of transparency to the future of the Facebook Platform. Even when he couldn’t comment of something (either becase it hadn’t been decided or wasn’t ready for dissemination), it always felt like Josh had your back. We’ll miss working with him at Gnip and hope to get another opportunity wherever he lands.
September 19th, 2009 at 11:16 pm
Congrats Josh, and best of luck with everything!
it’s been great working with you this past year on Connect & fbFund REV :)
September 20th, 2009 at 12:21 am
I remember having a beer with the Daves and Josh when he first joined. Excited to see what’s up next.
September 20th, 2009 at 4:00 am
[...] from: Josh Elman Leaving Facebook, Returning to More “Hands-On” Product Role Categories: Object – UN Tags: and-has – been-focused – been-with – elman – facebook – [...]
September 20th, 2009 at 6:58 am
I echo Kevin Foreman’s comment #1: I’ve worked with Josh at two companies – he’s exceptionally talented in the product role – and a super guy.
Josh is the rare person who really gives it his all, and he’s very passionate about the products he works on.
The company that lands Josh Elman is going to be lucky indeed.
September 20th, 2009 at 8:55 am
[...] Josh Elman, the Facebook Platform Program Manager, announced that he was leaving the company to pursue new opportunities. Less than two years in, Josh was one of the key public [...]
September 21st, 2009 at 12:09 am
[...] Josh Elman, the Facebook Platform Program Manager, announced that he was leaving the company to pursue new opportunities. Less than two years in, Josh was one of the key public [...]
September 22nd, 2009 at 5:10 am
[...] Josh Elman, the Facebook Platform Program Manager, announced that he was leaving the company to pursue new opportunities. Less than two years in, Josh was one of the key public [...]
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