Facebook Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg has been nominated as an independent director of Walt Disney Co. If elected at the company’s annual meeting in March, Sandberg would bring significant social network expertise to the Burbank entertainment giant.

Sandberg, 40, at been COO at the Palo Alto online social network company since March 2008. She has been responsible for building and managing global operations at the company, which has more than 350 million members, Previously, she worked at Google Inc. as vice president of ad products, and earlier was chief of staff at the U.S. Treasury Department during the Clinton administration.

“She brings great expertise in the online world, considerable international experience and a deep understanding of consumer behavior,” said Disney Chairman John Pepper Jr. in a statement released late Wednesday.

At age 40, Sandberg would become Disney’ youngest director. The youngest board member now is 52-year-old Monica Lozano, publisher of the Spanish-language La Opinion newspaper company.

Disney shares closed up 12 cents, or 1 percent, to $32.43 on the New York Stock Exchange.