Facebook CEO: No IPO for "years"

Facebook's CEO has very publicly doused speculation about an imminent initial public offering.

Mark Zuckerberg, this year's top silicon.com Agenda Setter, said: "I'm not saying it's never going to happen. But it's definitely years out."

Zuckerberg made his comments while speaking with John Battelle to lead off the Web 2.0. Summit in San Francisco.

What with all the hype and frenzy surrounding Facebook, Zuckerberg not surprisingly attracted a spill-over audience crowding into the main ballroom of the Palace Hotel, an elegant throwback which opened its doors in 1875 (which wasn't all that long after the California Gold Rush ended.)

As co-host of the three-day event, Battelle tried - with some success - to draw Zuckerberg out of his shell during the course of an hour question-and-answer session. But when it came to getting Facebook's founder to comment on the rumours about either a forthcoming sale or IPO, Battelle couldn't get Zuckerberg to deviate from his original line.

Zuckerberg said: "Well, you have years before that event."

Charles Cooper writes for CNET News.com