Facebook investor and board member Jim Breyer has sold a total of $208 million (€156 million) worth of his personal shares in the social networking company since its rocky public debut in May, according to US Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

Mr Breyer’s sales have drawn criticism from corporate governance experts, who question the potential conflict with his role as a Facebook director representing the interests of other shareholders.

Overall, Facebook senior executives and board members have sold only 43 million of their own shares at a value of $1.5 billion, representing about 4 per cent of Facebook’s shares outstanding. Facebook shares, which fell to less than $18 in September, have since rebounded, to $31.50 by midday yesterday. – (Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2013)