Elon Musk steps aside, announces Linda Yaccarino as new Twitter CEO

If the run-up to Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter was dramatic and controversial, the period since he became CEO has been marked by chaos, layoffs and the botched-up implementation of a confused blue tick policy. Even employees who went viral for sleeping at the workplace to meet deadlines set by Musk, have been fired as he kept slashing costs to keep the platform afloat.

Now the self-avowed chief twit has finally passed on his mantle to a new face, and Linda Yaccarino has been announced as the new Chief Executive Office at Twitter.

A timely change for Twitter?

• With a drop of 89 per cent in Twitter's ad revenue during the Musk era, an experienced ad executive such as Yaccarino has stepped in at the right time.

• As forecasts predict another 28 per cent slide in Twitter's ad revenues for 2023, she has a significant challenge at hand, before reviving Twitter's fortunes.

• Yaccarino has already led NBCUniversal, where she oversaw the launch of a streaming platform, and cemented alliances with Apple, Buzzfeed and YouTube among others.

Musk fans may not be overjoyed

• But her association with the World Economic Forum has triggered speculation among Musk's fan base.

• Yaccarino is more likely to raise the bar against misinformation and hate speech, which had allegedly been lowered during Musk's time as CEO.