In a surprising move, Elon Musk has announced Linda Yaccarino as the new chief executive officer (CEO) of Twitter, just over six months after his controversial acquisition of the social media company.

Yaccarino, previously the head of advertising at NBCUniversal, will oversee the business operations at Twitter, which has been struggling to generate profits. She is set to assume her new role in six weeks.

Musk will retain his involvement with Twitter as the executive chairman and chief technology officer. Confirming the decision on Twitter, Musk expressed his excitement to work with Yaccarino in transforming the platform into an “everything app” called X.

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After purchasing Twitter for $44 billion, Musk faced pressure to find a new leader for the company, allowing him to focus on his other ventures such as Tesla and SpaceX.

With less than 10% of Fortune 500 tech companies led by women, Yaccarino’s appointment breaks the mold, becoming a rare example of a woman at the helm of a major tech firm. She has climbed the ranks of prominent media companies in the United States.

Yaccarino, known for her background in advertising, has cultivated strong relationships with major brands and facilitated product placement and advertising partnerships with various media platforms.

Her expertise could potentially help Twitter monetize better, as ad sales have sharply declined since Musk’s takeover. Her negotiation skills within the industry have earned her the nickname “velvet hammer.”

However, Yaccarino faces significant challenges in running a business that has struggled to achieve profitability while grappling with issues of misinformation and hate speech.

Musk had previously expressed his desire to reduce Twitter’s reliance on advertising, revamp content moderation, and expand the platform’s functions to include payments, encrypted messaging, and phone calls.

Musk’s leadership decisions and controversial changes, such as layoffs and charging for blue ticks, have drawn criticism and raised concerns among advertisers.

Revenue has experienced “massive” declines, although Musk recently stated that companies were starting to return.

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Yaccarino’s appointment has garnered mixed reactions on social media, with some questioning her political affiliations. Musk, known for his unpredictable and demanding nature as a boss, has a history of placing women in senior positions at his companies.

The dynamics between Yaccarino and the hands-on Musk will be closely observed, particularly regarding content moderation, as the 2024 US presidential election approaches.

The challenges they face in managing these issues may determine Yaccarino’s longevity in her new role.