Elon Musk’s pick for Twitter CEO, Linda Yaccarino, is leaving NBCUniversal “effective immediately” after more than a decade with the company. Yaccarino, who was most recently chairman of global advertising and partnerships at NBCUniversal, was one of several candidates reportedly considered by Musk for the role of CEO of the social media platform.
The news comes just a few weeks after Musk tweeted that he would sell all of his physical possessions, including his house, and that he would no longer be a CEO of any company. Musk has been an active user of Twitter, often making controversial statements and sharing news about his companies.
Yaccarino’s departure from NBCUniversal has raised speculation that she may be joining Musk’s team at Twitter, although there has been no official confirmation of this. Yaccarino has been a prominent figure in the advertising industry and has received numerous awards for her work, including being named one of the “100 Most Powerful Women in Business” by Forbes.
Yaccarino has not commented publicly on her departure from NBCUniversal or any potential involvement with Twitter. Meanwhile, the search for Twitter’s new CEO continues, with a number of high-profile names being considered, including former Disney CEO Bob Iger and Twitter’s current CFO, Ned Segal.
The search for a new CEO follows the departure of Jack Dorsey, who co-founded Twitter in 2006 and served as its CEO on two separate occasions. Dorsey announced his departure from the company in November 2021, saying that he wanted to focus on his other company, Square.
Whoever becomes Twitter’s new CEO will have their work cut out for them, as the platform continues to grapple with issues around misinformation, hate speech, and user safety. The social media giant has also faced pressure from regulators around the world to do more to address these issues, leading to increased scrutiny of the company’s policies and practices.
For now, the identity of Twitter’s new CEO remains unknown, but Yaccarino’s departure from NBCUniversal and her potential involvement with the social media platform is sure to keep speculation swirling.