Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur who acquired Twitter for $44 billion last October, has announced that he has found a new CEO for the social networking platform. The new CEO is expected to take up the position in six weeks, according to Musk. He will transition to the role of executive chair and chief technology officer, overseeing product, software, and sysops.
While Musk did not specify who would take on the role of CEO, sources familiar with the situation told The Wall Street Journal that Linda Yaccarino, the Head of Advertising at NBCUniversal, is in talks for the position. Yaccarino has been at NBCUniversal for over a decade and played a key role in launching the company's ad-supported Peacock streaming service.
The move marks the latest step in Musk's overhaul of Twitter, with the billionaire previously stating that he would step away from day-to-day operations once he found a suitable candidate to take on the role of CEO. The appointment of Yaccarino, if confirmed, would signal a shift towards a more advertising-focused approach to Twitter's business strategy.
Musk's acquisition of Twitter was widely seen as a surprise move, with many questioning his motivation for buying the social network. However, Musk has since made it clear that he sees Twitter as a key platform for his various business ventures, including Tesla, SpaceX, and The Boring Company.
Since taking over as CEO of Twitter, Musk has made several significant changes to the platform, including introducing a new algorithm that prioritizes tweets based on user engagement and launching a paid subscription service called Twitter Blue. Musk has also been vocal in his support for cryptocurrency, and has recently announced plans to allow users to buy and sell Bitcoin directly through the Twitter app.
The appointment of a new CEO marks a significant milestone in Musk's ownership of Twitter, and many will be watching closely to see how the new leadership will shape the platform's future direction. With Yaccarino reportedly in talks for the position, it seems likely that advertising will play an increasingly important role in Twitter's business strategy going forward.