NBCUniversal’s Linda Yaccarino rumoured to lead Twitter as CEO

According to an anonymous source familiar with the matter, Elon Musk, the owner of Twitter, has chosen Linda Yaccarino, the current head of advertising and partnerships at NBCUniversal, to assume the role of CEO after leading the company for several months. The source reveals that Musk and Yaccarino are currently engaged in advanced discussions regarding the position.

This comes few hours after the Twitter CEO expressed his excitement about him finding a new CEO for the social media messaging platform. “She will be starting in ~6 weeks!,” he noted.

Linda Yaccarino, who has spent over ten years working at NBCUniversal has been actively advocating for improved advertising effectiveness measurement. Her extensive experience as the head of NBCU’s advertising sales played a crucial role in the successful launch of the ad-supported Peacock streaming service.

Having previously spent 19 years at Turner Entertainment, she is recognised for modernising the network’s ad sales operations for the digital era. Yaccarino, an alumna of Penn State University, pursued studies in liberal arts and telecommunications.

During an advertising conference in Miami last month, Yaccarino had the opportunity to interview Musk. In her introduction, she urged the audience to warmly welcome Musk with applause and praised his strong work ethic.

Her appointment as the CEO at Twitter could potentially indicate a shift in direction for the struggling microblogging platform. It is expected to bring a sense of relief to advertisers, as many of them had withdrawn their support from Twitter following Elon Musk’s assumption of ownership.

While the deal is not yet finalised, reports from The Wall Street Journal indicate that Yaccarino is currently engaged in talks for the position of CEO at Twitter. Dylan Byers of Puck has further mentioned that Musk intends to appoint her to the role.

Nevertheless, it is known that Yaccarino has actively expressed her interest in the position and has been discussing it with her acquaintances. Speculation within the advertising industry is also rife, with many suggesting that she may indeed be the chosen candidate.

According to a former colleague, Yaccarino is known for her remarkable determination and enthusiasm for this opportunity, highlighting her suitability for the position. “She possesses an incredible level of resilience and has always had her sights set on this job. It’s an ideal fit,” the former colleague stated.

It remains a pivotal question for Yaccarino’s tenure at Twitter whether she will aim to revive the platform’s previous culture, continue with Musk’s approach, or introduce a completely different vision. Users have been quick to analyse her past experiences in an attempt to make predictions about the direction she may take the platform.