On May 12, 2023, Elon Musk announced that Twitter will be getting a new CEO. Hours later, he confirmed that Linda Yaccarino would be the new CEO of Twitter. With previous Twitter CEOs coming from a tech background, Yaccarino is the first non-tech industry leader for the company. But who is Linda Yaccarino, and what are her qualifications for this role?
Yaccarino’s Professional Background:
Linda Yaccarino has been with NBCUniversal for over 20 years and has held various leadership positions. She is currently responsible for all of NBCUniversal’s global advertising and partnerships businesses. Yaccarino completed her graduation from Penn State University, where she studied liberal arts and telecommunications. Her first job was at Turner Broadcasting System, where she held various sales and marketing positions. In 1999, she joined NBCUniversal, where she quickly rose through the ranks. In 2007, Yaccarino was named President of Entertainment Advertising Sales at NBCUniversal, responsible for all the company’s advertising sales for its entertainment programming, including broadcast, cable, and digital. She was also responsible for developing new advertising products and platforms.
In 2011, Yaccarino was promoted to Chairman of Global Advertising and Partnerships at NBCUniversal, responsible for all of the company’s advertising and partnerships businesses, including broadcast, cable, digital, and international. She was also responsible for developing new advertising products and platforms.
The Appeal of Yaccarino as Twitter’s CEO
One possible reason for Elon Musk’s decision to hire Yaccarino is her background in advertising and partnerships. Musk may have chosen Yaccarino to run the business and advertisement side of Twitter, which is closer to a regular media company than a more traditional social media company like Facebook or Instagram. This approach would allow Musk to continue to oversee the product and engineering side of Twitter.
Yaccarino’s Friendship with Donald Trump
Another possible reason why Musk might have liked Yaccarino is her supposed collaboration with Donald Trump, a figure on the US right. Elon Musk in recent months has increasingly been close to the right wing and Republicans in the US. So, a Twitter CEO who has worked with Donald Trump fits perfectly into the picture. Yaccarino is also known for being an ally of former US president Donald Trump. She was among the people that Trump named to serve a two-year-term on the President’s Council of Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.
Elon Musk’s NBC Connection
Elon Musk was seen sharing screen space with Linda Yaccarino at NBCUniversal’s MMA’s Miami event. The two had gathered to discuss the future of marketing at Twitter. Post the interview with Musk, Yaccarino was all praise for Musk and how Twitter is committed to “freedom of speech,” “accountability and “ultimate transparency.” That said, Yaccarino is not all that active on Twitter, at least not like how Elon Musk is. Before the rumors of her appointment as the Twitter CEO floated on the internet, she had only 7,000 followers and had not tweeted for days. Maybe once she assumes the role, she will be as active as the current chief twit.
The Future of Twitter with Linda Yaccarino as CEO
Twitter has been in a constant state of flux with its leadership changes in recent years. With Yaccarino, Twitter has a CEO who comes from a different industry but has extensive experience in advertising and partnerships. Her expertise in these areas may bring a fresh perspective to the company and help it to better monetize its platform.
