Layer 3: Compute Orchestration — Meta’s Trading Desk Approach

The Paradigm Shift

Meta created “Meta Compute” as a top-level strategic function reporting directly to Zuckerberg. This isn’t IT. It’s infrastructure as first-order strategic capability — managed like a commodities trading operation.

The Leadership Structure

Reports Directly To: Mark Zuckerberg

Santosh Janardhan — Technical Operations

  • Data center foundations
  • Network infrastructure
  • Physical operations

Daniel Gross — Strategic Capacity

  • Long-term capacity planning
  • Supplier strategy
  • Business modeling for AI infra

Dina Powell McCormick — Government Relations

  • Sovereign partnerships
  • Infrastructure financing
  • Geopolitical navigation

The Trading Desk Thesis

“Looking for people with backgrounds in deep learning, supply chains, commodities, semiconductors, sovereigns, energy, Excel, prediction markets, monitoring situations…”

— Daniel Gross recruiting post

What this reveals: Meta is treating AI compute like a commodities trading operation. Hedging against volatility in power and hardware costs. Making long-term bets shaped by energy markets, supply chains, and geopolitics.

What Meta Compute Manages

Planning → Suppliers → Hedging → Optimization → Allocation → Modeling


This is part of a comprehensive analysis. Read the full analysis on The Business Engineer.

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