Linda Yaccarino has officially stepped down as CEO of X (formerly Twitter), ending a short but high-impact chapter at the helm of one of the internet’s most scrutinized platforms. Announcing her departure in a post on X, Yaccarino reflected on the last two years as “incredible” and expressed pride in the team’s work, noting achievements in user safety and building the groundwork for Elon Musk’s ambitious vision of the “everything app.” “I’m incredibly proud of the X team — the historic business turn around we have accomplished together has been nothing short of remarkable,” she wrote.
Yaccarino was appointed CEO in 2023, just months after Elon Musk took control of the platform. Her arrival came amid mounting pressure on Musk, especially from Tesla investors, to offload some responsibilities and stabilize operations at X. With her background as a seasoned advertising executive and former head of NBCUniversal’s ad division, Yaccarino was seen as a strategic hire to rebuild advertiser trust and reconnect the platform with the business community.
During her leadership, X underwent significant transformations. She played a central role in broadening the platform’s focus — integrating live video, creator collaborations, payment features, and even connected TV apps. The visibility of Community Notes was expanded, and new services like X Money, a digital payments system, were introduced as part of a shift beyond traditional social media.
However, despite these efforts, X’s advertising business remained a sore spot. Though ad revenues are projected to grow this year for the first time in four years, they still stand at only half of what they were in 2021, before Musk’s takeover. Yaccarino also had to navigate several PR and legal challenges, including Musk’s controversial statements toward advertisers and a legal dispute with a prominent ad industry coalition — which ultimately shut down after X’s lawsuit.
One major flashpoint occurred in 2023 when Musk lashed out at advertisers who boycotted the platform, complicating Yaccarino’s attempts to mend relationships. Yet, she remained publicly supportive of X, frequently representing the company at industry events. Just last month, she promoted X’s latest tools at the Cannes Lions Festival, also revealing an exclusive podcast partnership with Serena and Venus Williams.
She ended her announcement with a brief sign-off: “As always, I’ll see you on X.” The company has not yet announced who will succeed her.
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