Guide Note

Meg Whitman was the CEO of the Internet auction site eBay from 1998 until her departure in March 2008.

Fast Facts

1. Born: August 4, 1956
2. Birthplace: Long Island, New York
3. Companies: Hasbro, eBay, FTD
4. Alma-mater: Princeton University
5. Net Worth (2007): $1.4 billion
6. Occupation: formerly CEO of eBay
7. Spouse: Griffith R. Harsh IV
8. Named as potential running mate for John McCain

• 1979: Begins work for Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati
• 1989: Joins Walt Disney Company as senior vice-president of marketing in Consumer Products Division
• 1995: eBay founded by Pierre Omidyar
• 1995: Named CEO of Florists Transworld Delivery (FTD)
• 1997: Named General Manager of Hasbro Preschool Division
• 1998: Named CEO of eBay
• 2005: Named one of "World's Most Influential People" for second year in a row by Time
• March 17, 2008: Named co-chair of John McCain's Presidential campaign

Prior to eBay, Whitman held executive positions at the Walt Disney Company, the flower delivery company FTD, and the toymaker Hasbro.

Whitman's ten-year tenure at at the global auction giant eBay brought the company from obscurity to one of the biggest business phenomenons in the Internet age.

While at eBay, Whitman engineered the highly profitable acquisition of Internet payments processor Paypal, as well as the not-so-highly-profitable acquisition of online telephone service Skype. Whitman stepped down as the head of eBay on March 31, 2008, leaving the job to John Donahoe, head of the company's auctions division.

In 2008, Whitman campaigned initially for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, but was named co-chair of John McCain's campaign after the Arizona Senator locked up the nomination. Whitman has since been mentioned numerous times as a potential McCain running mate (the candidate chose her as one of the "wise persons" he would consult as president), and will speak at the 2008 Republican Convention.¹

She is reported to be considering a run at the California governorship in 2010.