Linda Yaccarino, the Chief Executive Officer of Elon Musk’s social media platform X, has announced her departure from the company.
Ms. Yaccarino assumed the role in June 2023.
In a post on the platform, she expressed “immense gratitude” to Mr. Musk for “entrusting me with the responsibility of protecting free speech, turning the company around, and transforming X into the Everything App.”
Mr. Musk responded with a concise statement, saying: “Thank you for your contributions.”
The BBC has reached out to X for further comment.
Prior to joining X, Ms. Yaccarino served as the head of advertising at NBCUniversal, where she was instrumental in navigating the company through the disruptions brought about by technology firms.
Her appointment to X, formerly known as Twitter, occurred during a period of significant instability, marked by advertiser departures and substantial staff reductions under Mr. Musk’s leadership.
In her departure announcement, she stated that her decision to step down came after “two incredible years.”
She further noted: “When Elon Musk and I first spoke of his vision for X, I knew it would be the opportunity of a lifetime to carry out the extraordinary mission of this company.”
The reasons for her departure remain unclear, and it is unknown whether there has been any deterioration in her relationship with Mr. Musk since her arrival in 2023.
However, the platform’s overall tone has undergone a transformation during her tenure.
While Twitter was previously accused of exhibiting a left-leaning bias, X now leans noticeably to the right in terms of content visibility.
Despite relinquishing the CEO title, Mr. Musk has maintained a prominent presence on the platform, becoming increasingly vocal and controversial since Ms. Yaccarino’s appointment.
Individuals who have worked closely with Mr. Musk have described him as a visionary and a workaholic, whose pace is difficult for others to sustain over extended periods.
Regardless of the underlying cause, her departure coincides with a challenging period for Mr. Musk, who is currently facing declining sales at Tesla, his electric vehicle manufacturer.
He is also engaged in a public dispute with former political ally, US President Donald Trump, which has culminated in Mr. Musk contemplating the formation of a new political party.
X has also continued to generate controversy.
Most recently, Mr. Musk’s chatbot, Grok – which is integrated into X – has been found to express favorable views about Adolf Hitler.
In response, xAI issued a statement indicating that it is actively working to remove what it described as “inappropriate” posts.
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