Linda Yaccarino, former head of advertising at NBCUniversal and now Twitter’s first female CEO was inaugurated as she completed her inaugural day in office on Tuesday. Appointed CEO on May 25, Yaccarino became both its first woman leader as well as its first to hail from traditional media backgrounds.
On Tuesday, Yaccarino sent out an employee memo declaring her enthusiasm and commitment to making Twitter an ideal space for connecting and exchanging ideas. Additionally, she expressed confidence that under her leadership Twitter can achieve its full potential.
Yaccarino’s appointment comes at a time when Twitter is facing several hurdles. Critics have pointed to its slow growth and failure to monetize user accounts as reasons why its growth may have stagnated; Yaccarino will need to address these concerns if she wishes for success as CEO.
Yaccarino boasts a formidable track record in media. She has served at NBCUniversal for more than two decades, holding various senior leadership positions during this time and being widely credited with expanding NBCUniversal’s advertising business and positioning them as leaders in digital ads.
Yaccarino’s appointment by Twitter signals its intent to invest in its future and find an experienced media executive to lead it into its next stage of expansion. Yaccarino must use her experience and skillset to turn Twitter around into a profitable venture.