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Thursday April 25, 2024

Elon Musk to step down as Twitter CEO

A new female CEO would be taking charge in about six weeks, says Musk

By Web Desk
May 12, 2023
Elon Musk has been worried about his tweets visibility for some weeks.— AFP/file
Elon Musk has been worried about his tweets' visibility for some weeks.— AFP/file

Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, recently made an important announcement on Twitter. He revealed that a new CEO would be taking charge of Twitter while he transitions to a different role focusing on product development and technology. 

screengrab of Twitter owner Elon Musks tweet on May 12, 2023.—Twitter@elonmusk
screengrab of Twitter owner Elon Musk's tweet on May 12, 2023.—Twitter@elonmusk

The new CEO, who is a woman, will start her position in approximately six weeks. At the same time, Musk will become the executive chair and Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of Twitter, where he will be responsible for overseeing the development of products, software, and system operations.

This news has been met with enthusiasm from investors, leading to a positive response in the stock market, with Tesla's shares increasing by more than 2%. Some investors had expressed concerns that Musk's involvement in running Twitter was dividing his attention and diverting his focus from leading Tesla, the electric vehicle company he founded.

Musk's involvement with Twitter began when his company SpaceX acquired the social media platform for a significant amount of money, $44 billion, in October of the previous year. Shortly after the acquisition, he took decisive action within the company, removing top executives and implementing significant layoffs.

During Musk's time as CEO, Twitter faced challenges in its core advertising business. Many companies decided to pause their paid promotional campaigns due to an increase in offensive content and hateful speech on the platform. Musk's controversial decisions to reinstate previously banned users and make statements about media racism also attracted political controversy.

Furthermore, Twitter encountered technical difficulties and underwent substantial layoffs under Musk's leadership. He defended these actions by stating that they were necessary to ensure the company's financial stability.

The change in leadership and responsibilities at Twitter signifies an effort to address the platform's challenges and revive its advertising business. As Musk shifts his focus to Tesla, investors anticipate a positive impact on the company's future direction and success.