What You Need To Know About Linda Yaccarino, The First Female CEO Of Twitter

Former NBCUniversal advertising boss, Linda Yaccarino has been appointed as the new CEO of Twitter by Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of Tesla Inc.

Elon Musk made the announcement via his Twitter page on Friday, May 12, barely 24 hours after he disclosed that he had hired a new female CEO for the platform.

He wrote: “I am excited to welcome Linda Yaccarino as the new CEO of Twitter.

“Linda Yaccarino will focus primarily on business operations, while I focus on product design and new technology.

“Looking forward to working with Linda to transform this platform into X, the everything app.”

Musk said he will now serve as the platform’s executive chairman and CTO, adding that he will oversee product design and new technology.

I am excited to welcome Linda Yaccarino as the new CEO of Twitter!@LindaYacc will focus primarily on business operations, while I focus on product design & new technology.

Looking forward to working with Linda to transform this platform into X, the everything app. https://t.co/TiSJtTWuky

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 12, 2023

Who is Linda Yaccarino?

Linda Yaccarino is a highly accomplished media executive with extensive experience in the advertising industry. She has held various senior leadership positions at major media companies and has been recognized for her significant contributions to the industry.

Born in 1963 in the United States, Linda Yaccarino graduated from Wellesley College with a degree in Economics and Political Science. She began her career in media as an account executive at Ketchum Advertising in the 1980s. From there, she moved to Turner Broadcasting in 1993, where she was involved in advertising sales for the NBA, NCAA, and other sports properties.

In 2000, Yaccarino joined Turner Broadcasting’s entertainment division, where she oversaw the sales and marketing of CNN, TNT, and TBS. She was responsible for launching the “We Know Drama” campaign, which increased the visibility and popularity of these channels.

In 2011, Yaccarino was appointed as President of Advertising Sales at NBCUniversal. In this role, she was responsible for the advertising revenue generated across the company’s portfolio of networks, including NBC, MSNBC, CNBC, Bravo, and USA Network. She spearheaded the company’s upfront presentations, which are an annual event where networks present their upcoming programming to advertisers and media buyers. Under her leadership, NBCUniversal saw significant growth in its advertising revenue, with the company achieving record sales in 2013.

Yaccarino was also instrumental in launching “The Symphony,” a cross-platform advertising initiative that allowed advertisers to reach audiences across multiple NBCUniversal properties. She was named one of Adweek’s “50 Indispensable Executives” in 2014 and was recognized by Variety as one of the “Power of Women” in the entertainment industry in 2016.

In 2021, Yaccarino was appointed as Chairman of Advertising and Partnerships at NBCUniversal. In this role, she is responsible for the company’s advertising partnerships across all platforms, including broadcast, cable, digital, and streaming.

Yaccarino has been a strong advocate for gender equality and diversity in the media industry. She is a founding member of the “She Runs It” organization, which aims to empower women in the marketing and media industries. She has also been involved in various initiatives to promote diversity and inclusion at NBCUniversal, including the company’s “SeeHer” campaign, which aims to eliminate gender bias in advertising.

Aside from her impressive career in media, Yaccarino is also known for her philanthropic work. She is a board member of the Ad Council, a nonprofit organization that produces public service campaigns to promote social causes. She is also a board member of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and serves on the board of trustees for Wellesley College.

In early 2022, it was reported that Linda Yaccarino would be stepping down from her role at NBCUniversal to join Twitter as CEO. This news came shortly after Elon Musk, the billionaire founder of Tesla Inc., acquired a significant stake in the social media company. Yaccarino praised Musk’s vision and leadership and expressed excitement about the opportunity to lead Twitter into the future.

In conclusion, Linda Yaccarino is a highly accomplished media executive with a successful career spanning over three decades. Her leadership and contributions to the advertising industry have been widely recognized, and she has been a vocal advocate for gender equality and diversity in the media. Her appointment as CEO of Twitter is a significant milestone in her career, and it will be interesting to see how she leads the company in the coming years.

KanyiDaily recalls that Elon Musk had recently announced that Twitter, in its latest version, will come with support for direct message replies, voice/video chats, and encrypted DM 1.0.