Twitter's new CEO, Linda Yaccarino, is set to take charge at the social media platform today, a move that will see owner Elon Musk shift his focus back to Tesla and his other companies. The incoming CEO is also bringing in an associate from her previous employment to handle business operations at Twitter, the Wall Street Journal reported.
After Elon Musk made Twitter private last year, Yaccarino's arrival is expected to bring advertisers back onto the social media platform. Musk had hoped that his plans to generate revenues through Twitter Blue subscriptions would be sufficient to power the company to profits.
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However, it now appears that even as Musk wants to change Twitter to X, an everything app, the role of advertisers will remain crucial and the company needs a seasoned expert to handle their demands and concerns, something that he has failed to do in the last eight months at the helm.
Yaccarino hires Joe Benarroch, executive vice president at NBC
In her previous role at NBC Universal, Yaccarino was the Chairman of Global Advertising and Partnerships, where she oversaw the work of 2,000 people and generated $100 billion in ad revenues. Her work included teaming up with top brands like Apple, Snapchat, BuzzFeed, and YouTube among others, something that Musk would love to have onboard as he builds Twitter 2.0.
Yaccarino will have to contend with the severe loss of personnel at Twitter. Since Musk's takeover, 75 percent of the workforce has left the company, either willingly or after being fired. Many of these were jobs in sales or partnerships, where Twitter has fallen short in recent months.
Yaccarino has also hired Joe Benarroch, the executive vice president at NBC to work alongside her at Twitter. She took to Twitter to announce this.
Welcome to the flock, @benarroch_joe! From one bird to the next.
Let’s get to work @Twitter! #timetofly
— Linda Yaccarino (@lindayacc) June 4, 2023
At NBC, Benarroch oversaw communication strategy for its Advertising and Partnerships division, reporting directly to Yaccrino. Officially, the role Benarroch will take up has not been declared but is believed to focus on business operations, as per a Reuters report.
Yaccarino's new innings as Twitter CEO will also be marked by more resignations as head of trust and safety Ella Erwin has resigned while head of brand safety and ad quality AJ Brown has also decided to call it quits, Reuters added.
Post-Musk Twitter
Yaccarino's arrival will be a welcome change at Twitter, away from the firebrand style of Musk, who made changes on a whim. Users might vividly remember, how they could only see Elon Musk posts on their timeline and how he mocked former employees on the social media platform itself.
Whether Musk will really be able to keep himself away from Twitter's day-to-day activities or keep making new feature announcements on the platform remains to be seen. But with a new CEO in the hot seat, can Musk "unlock the true potential" of Twitter as he promised at the time of the takeover, is the real test.
Will the bird finally fly high? It is yet to be seen.
