After acquiring Twitter for $44 billion in October 2022, billionaire Elon Musk has repeatedly stated that he will step down as CEO of the company, now renamed X Corp.
In a tweet on May 12, Mr. Musk expressed his joy at welcoming Ms. Linda Yaccarino, 60 years old, to take on this role, and hoped to turn this platform into X - the application of everything.
Ms. Yaccarino is a prominent figure in the advertising industry and has deep ties to marketers and advertising agencies, as well as traditional global business organizations such as the World Economic Forum, where she is executive chairman.
Twitter investors hope Ms. Yaccarino can be the one to mend Musk’s testy relationship with advertisers, the company’s main source of revenue.
Ms. Yaccarino's primary focus will be on business operations, while he will be closely involved with product design and new technology, Mr. Musk said.
Ms. Yaccarino served on President Donald Trump's Sports Nutrition and Fitness Council and worked with President Joe Biden and the White House to develop a Covid vaccination campaign for Americans. Photo: politico.eu
With her experience and influence in the advertising industry, Yaccarino could be a key player in Twitter’s future, and Musk is hoping the platform can help lure advertisers back after they turned away from the platform over concerns that his management would damage their reputation.
Whether Ms. Yaccarino restores the culture of Twitter before Mr. Musk took over the platform or turns it into something else entirely will be a key question during her tenure at the world’s largest social media company.
A graduate of Pennsylvania State University, USA, Ms. Yaccarino began her career in the media industry as an intern in the media planning department of NBCUniversal, where her love of media was ignited.
She spent nearly 20 years as chief operating officer and executive vice president of advertising sales, marketing and acquisitions at Turner Broadcasting System - a global broadcasting company now owned by Warner Bros.
In 2011, Yaccarino joined NBCUniversal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. Prior to the Twitter takeover announcement, she was president of global partnerships and advertising at NBCUniversal, where she oversaw 2,000 employees.
During her 12 years at NBCUniversal, she helped the company generate more than $100 billion in advertising revenue.
Linda Yaccarino and billionaire Elon Musk attend an event in Miami in April 2023. Photo: Ad Age
Throughout her career, Yaccarino has transformed the way the advertising industry works. One of the most notable is the creation of a digital platform called One Platform, which makes it easier to buy ads across multiple media.
“I think first and foremost, she will bring to Twitter an understanding of what advertisers need to come back to the platform from a brand safety perspective,” said Dave Campanelli, chief investment officer at Horizon Media.
Mr. Campanelli said Ms. Yaccarino knows better than anyone what it takes to attract advertisers and buyers back to the company.
“The real question is, will she be free to do all of that or will things remain the same,” Mr. Campanelli shared .
Nguyen Tuyet (According to Sky News, Washington Post, Financial Times)
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