Elon Musk Names Linda 'Velvet Hammer' Yaccarino as Twitter CEO
On May 11th, Elon Musk made a fascinating tweet, revealing the arrival of a new CEO for Twitter/X. Merely a day later, he unveiled the individual's name. Now the question arises, who is this person?
As anticipated, the reins of leadership at Twitter/X will be handed over to Linda Yaccarino, who previously held the position of Chairman of Global Advertising and Partnerships at NBCUniversal.
Linda Yaccarino appointed as the new CEO of Twitter Source: https://twitter.com/elonmusk
Furthermore, Elon Musk mentioned that once she's ready, anyone interested will have the opportunity to ask him and the new project leader any questions in Spaces. Let's delve into what we should know about the new CEO who will relieve Musk of his managerial responsibilities.
About Linda Yaccarino
Linda is a graduate of Penn State University, where she studied Telecommunications for her bachelor's degree.
Twitter CEO Source: https://twitter.com/lindayacc
Yaccarino's career kicked off at NBCUniversal, where she started as an intern in the media planning department. Over time, she became an integral part of the Turner Entertainment team, serving as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for advertising sales for 15 years.
In 2011, Yaccarino returned to NBCUniversal and took the reins of the advertising sales division. In 2020, she was promoted to the role of Director of Global Advertising and Partnerships. One of her notable accomplishments during this period was the successful launch of the streaming service Peacock.
Linda Yaccarino also held key positions such as chairing the Advertising Council and being a member of the President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition during the Trump administration. She oversaw the broadcasting of major events like the Olympic Games and the Super Bowl, forged partnerships with tech giants Snapchat and YouTube, and spearheaded an advertising campaign featuring Pope Francis to promote anti-COVID vaccination.
Velvet Hammer
Yaccarino earned this nickname for her tough negotiation style, which has yielded impressive results. Under her leadership, the NBCUniversal team of 2,000 employees managed to generate advertising sales exceeding $100 billion.
The new CEO of Twitter has garnered numerous awards and accolades. She has been recognized as one of the top 10 most influential women in television by Adweek and featured in Business Insider's list of the ten most transformative figures in the advertising industry.
According to Claire Atkinson from Business Insider, who has closely followed Yaccarino's career for two decades, she is expected to help restore Twitter's advertising revenue. Musk's acquisition of Twitter and his controversial changes have led to a significant decline in the platform's revenue due to reduced engagement from partner companies or their complete withdrawal from advertising. Linda Yaccarino is poised to be the high-level executive who will revitalize the project's reputation and profitability.
