Linda Yaccarino Resigns as CEO of Elon Musk-Owned X After Two-Year Stint

Linda Yaccarino, the CEO of X (formerly Twitter), has officially stepped down after two years at the helm of the Elon Musk-owned social media platform. Yaccarino made the announcement on Wednesday through a social media post as she reflected on her time with the company and its future direction. “The best is yet to come as X enters a new chapter with xAI,” she wrote, referring to Musk’s artificial intelligence venture behind the Grok chatbot.

Yaccarino Calls Her X Stint the ‘Opportunity of a Lifetime’

Yaccarino described her time at the company as “the opportunity of a lifetime,” expressing gratitude toward Musk for trusting her to protect free speech, turn the company around, and help transform X into what she calls the “Everything App.”

She further praised the work of the X team during her tenure, highlighting the business turnaround they achieved together. “We started with the critical early work necessary to prioritise the safety of our users – especially children, and to restore advertiser confidence,” Yaccarino wrote. She also pointed to innovations like Community Notes and the upcoming launch of X Money as milestones that have enriched the platform.

“I’m incredibly proud of the X team,” she said. “This team has worked relentlessly from groundbreaking innovations to bringing the most iconic voices and content to the platform.”

Yaccarino described X as “truly a digital town square for all voices and the world’s most powerful culture signal.” She further credited the platform’s users, business partners, and staff for making these achievements possible.

Stressing that she would continue to support the platform, Yaccarino further said, “I will be cheering you all on as you continue to change the world. As always, I’ll see you on 𝕏.”

Musk Hired Yaccarino to Steady the Business Ship

Musk appointed Yaccarino, a seasoned advertising executive, in May 2023, just months after acquiring then-called Twitter for $44 billion in late 2022, according to a report published by The Associated Press. Her hiring was meant to balance Musk’s focus on tech innovation by letting her handle the business side of things.

At the time of her appointment, Musk had reportedly said Yaccarino’s primary role would be to run business operations, while he remained focused on product design and developing new technologies.

Her departure marks a pivotal moment for X, as the company navigates challenges of evolving from a traditional social network into a multifaceted digital hub under Musk’s leadership.

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