In a surprising move, Elon Musk announced on Friday that he has appointed Linda Yaccarino as the new CEO of Twitter.
Yaccarino, who was most recently the Chairman of Advertising Sales and Client Partnerships at NBCUniversal, will take over from Jack Dorsey, who stepped down from the role earlier this year.
Musk, who is known for his interest in social media and has a massive following on Twitter, tweeted the news on Friday, saying, “Just want to say that Linda Yaccarino is going to do a great job as CEO of Twitter. She’s smart, tough, and has the experience to take the company to the next level.”
Yaccarino, who has worked at NBCUniversal for over 30 years, is widely respected in the media industry for her leadership and strategic thinking. Under her leadership, NBCUniversal became the first media company to sell more than $1 billion in digital advertising in a single year.
In a statement, Yaccarino said she was excited to take on the new role and to work with Musk to drive growth and innovation at Twitter. “Twitter is one of the most influential and important social media platforms in the world, and I am honored to have been chosen to lead it at this critical time,” she said.
The appointment of Yaccarino comes as Twitter faces growing competition from other social media platforms, including Facebook and TikTok. The company has also been under pressure to address issues such as misinformation and harassment on its platform.
Musk, who has been a vocal critic of Twitter in the past, has also been a frequent user of the platform, often using it to announce new products and make controversial statements.
Some industry analysts have raised concerns about the appointment of Yaccarino, noting that she has little experience in the technology industry. However, others have praised Musk for choosing someone with a strong track record in media and advertising.
It remains to be seen what changes Yaccarino will make at Twitter and how she will work with Musk to shape the company’s future. But one thing is clear: with these two powerful and influential figures at the helm, Twitter is sure to be in the spotlight in the coming months.
