After teasing that he was stepping down as CEO, Elon Musk confirmed Linda Yaccarino as Twitter’s newest boss. Boardroom dives into everything you need to know about Bird App’s new exec.
Rumors swirled as Elon Musk tweeted on Thursday that he had identified a new CEO for X Corp, the parent company of Twitter.
“My role will transition to being exec chair & CTO, overseeing product, software & [systems operations],” he continued while signaling that his replacement would take over in approximately six weeks.
Immediately, internet sleuths searched for clues as to who the mystery woman who was taking over may be.
All questions were answered on Friday morning. Following initial reporting from the Wall Street Journal, Musk confirmed that NBCUniversal’s Chairman of Global Advertising and Partnerships Linda Yaccarino would take over the top spot, in which she would “focus primarily on business operations.”
Who is Linda Yaccarino?
The newly minted CEO tendered her resignation to NBCUniversal first thing on Friday morning. The move ended a nearly 12-year run for the executive, 60, who most recently served as the company’s chairman of global advertising and partnerships. Before taking over that position in 2020, Yaccarino was the chairman of advertising and client partnerships for nearly a decade.
In an official release confirming the news, Yaccarino reflected on her time with NBCUniversal, saying:
“It has been an absolute honor to be part of Comcast NBCUniversal and lead the most incredible team. We’ve transformed our company and the entire industry — and I am so proud of what we’ve accomplished together, and grateful to my colleagues and mentors, especially Brian Roberts, Mike Cavanagh, and the entire NBCU leadership team.”
In the statement, the President of Comcast Corporation, Mike Cavanaugh, praised Yaccorino for her work guiding the ad sales business for the conglomerate and “for the innovative team and platform she has built.” She was pivotal in NBCUniversal’s innovative approach to reconsidering how to utilize viewership data amidst the streaming era. She served as the mastermind behind the “One Platform” technology, which facilitates ad sales, and is credited with bringing in over $100 billion in ad sales during her time with the company.
Her company profile during her time at NBCUniversal, “Yaccarino has reengineered NBCUniversal’s advertising business for the 21st century.”
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Yaccarino is a lifelong advertising exec, who previously held positions with Turner Broadcasting System, where she worked between 1996-2011. She currently holds the position as the executive chair for the World Economic Forum and previously served on the President’s Council on Sports Fitness and Nutrition. She is also an alum of Penn State University.
Twitter faces a critical moment, as its value has plummeted since Musk took over the company in late October 2022. In March, Musk estimated that the company was worth $20 billion, more than half of his purchase price of $44 million. Yaccarino faces the Herculean task of creating revenue-driving opportunities for the social media company.
With the transition, Musk will adjust his responsibilities. He will serve as the company’s executive chair and chief technology officer.
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