The CEO of X, the social media network that was formerly known as Twitter, Linda Yaccarino, has formally announced her resignation. Her two-year tenure as the head of one of the most closely watched tech companies came to an end on Wednesday when she made the announcement in a thorough post on the platform.
In her farewell note, Yaccarino reflected on her journey and the challenges she faced. “After two incredible years, I’ve decided to step down as CEO of 𝕏,” she wrote. “When @elonmusk and I first spoke of his vision for X, I knew it would be the opportunity of a lifetime to carry out the extraordinary mission of this company. I’m immensely grateful to him for entrusting me with the responsibility of protecting free speech, turning the company around, and transforming X into the Everything App.”
Yaccarino went on to praise her team, saying, “I’m incredibly proud of the X team — the historic business turnaround we have accomplished together has been nothing short of remarkable.” Yaccarino joined X in 2023, brought in by Elon Musk with the aim of helping reshape the platform into his ambitious vision of an “Everything App” — a single platform for social networking, payments, media, and more. Her appointment was originally intended to stabilise and legitimise X's advertising and media strategy, especially in the aftermath of Elon Musk's turbulent takeover of Twitter.
However, Linda encountered numerous challenges while serving as CEO. It has also been revealed that she frequently had to cope with the fallout from Musk's controversial statements, including his open endorsement of antisemitic conspiracy theories in late 2023, which infuriated and unnerved advertisers.
Under her leadership, X also brought legal action against several advertisers and an organisation that monitors advertising, claiming that they colluded to halt the platform's ad revenue. Before joining X, Yaccarino had a strong reputation in the media industry, particularly for modernising the advertising division at Comcast's NBCUniversal, where she led efforts to adapt traditional ad models for a world that prioritises digital.
Her departure raises concerns about X's future direction, particularly in relation to its advertising strategy, content policies, and overarching goal of developing into a one-stop digital platform under Musk's leadership.
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