New Twitter CEO says she is excited to help to transform Twitter

AFP

Newly appointed Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino said in a tweet that she has been inspired by owner Elon Musk's vision to create a brighter future and is excited to help to transform the social media platform.

It was the first time Yaccarino has spoken publicly since the news broke Thursday that she was in talks to become the next CEO of Twitter. Musk, who has served as CEO since his $44 billion buyout of Twitter last October, announced her appointment on Friday.

"I've long been inspired by [Musk's] vision to create a brighter future. I'm excited to help bring this vision to Twitter and transform this business together!" Yaccarino tweeted.

Yaccarino, who as advertising chief for Comcast Corp's NBCUniversal spent several years modernising its ad business, said she is committed to Twitter's future, and said user feedback is vital to build Twitter 2.0.

She will take over a social media platform that has been trying to reverse a plunge in ad revenue and is beset with challenges, along with a heavy debt load.

Since Musk acquired Twitter, advertisers have fled the platform, worried that their ads could appear next to inappropriate content after the company lost nearly 80 per cent of staff. Musk earlier this year acknowledged that Twitter had suffered a massive decline in ad revenue.

While Musk said Yaccarino would help build an "everything app," which he has previously said could offer a variety of services such as peer-to-peer payments, his selection of an advertising veteran signaled that digital ads would continue to be a core focus of the business.

Musk has long said he intended to find a new leader for Twitter.

Musk, who is also the CEO of electric-vehicle maker Tesla Inc, on Friday said that bringing Yaccarino on as Twitter's new chief will help him devote more time to Tesla.

More from Business News

  • Spinneys makes Dubai stock exchange debut

    Spinneys 1961 Holding PLC, an operator of premium grocery retail supermarkets under the Spinneys, Waitrose and Al Fair brands in the UAE and Oman, started trading on Thursday on the Dubai Financial Market (DFM).

  • ADNOC reports 18% Q1 growth

    ADNOC Distribution released strong Q1 2024 financial results, showing an 18 per cent year-on-year increase in EBITDA to $248 million.

  • Dubai Duty Free boss to retire after 41 years

    After 55 years in the travel retail industry and 41 at the helm of Dubai Duty Free (DDF), Colm McLoughlin, Executive Vice Chairman & CEO has announced that he is stepping down from his role on May 31, 2024.

  • Sharjah airport welcomes over 4 million passengers

    More than 4.2 million passengers travelled through Sharjah Airport in the first quarter of 2024, marking a 10 per cent year-on-year increase.

  • DXB on track to surpass 90 million passengers in 2024

    His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA), Chairman of Dubai Airports, and Chairman and Chief Executive of Emirates Airline and Group, says he expects passenger traffic at Dubai International Airport to exceed 90 million by the end of this year.

News