London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Feb 10, 2025

Twitter's new boss: Who is Linda Yaccarino?

Twitter's new boss: Who is Linda Yaccarino?

Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino is also known as the 'velvet hammer' in ad world

Elon Musk on Friday officially named former NBCUniversal executive Linda Yaccarino as the new CEO of Twitter.

Yaccarino, who is known as the "velvet hammer" in the ad world according to the Wall Street Journal, stepped down as global chair of advertising and partnerships at NBCUniversal on Friday morning. She will succeed Musk in six weeks. Musk has been running the platform since he bought it for $44 billion in October, although he insisted that he would not become its permanent CEO.

Yaccarino spent more than a decade as an executive at NBCUniversal and helped to transform "the $70 billion premium video ecosystem," according to the media giant.

As global chair of advertising and partnerships, Yaccarino was responsible for monetizing the company’s portfolio of linear networks, digital and streaming platforms, distribution and commerce partnerships and client relationships, according to her LinkedIn profile. She also oversaw all global, national and local ad sales, partnerships, marketing, ad tech, data, measurement, commerce and strategic initiatives.

Linda Yaccarino and Lorne Michaels, creator and executive producer of "Saturday Night Live," speak on stage during the NBC session at the Cannes Lions 2019.


Yaccarino helped launch its ad-supported streaming service, Peacock, and forged partnerships with Apple News, BuzzFeed, Holler, ReachTV, Snapchat, Twitter and YouTube in an effort to expand the company's digital footprint.

Her team of 2,000 people generated more than $100 billion in ad sales since she joined in 2011, according to her company profile.

Prior to her time with NBCUniversal, Yaccarino worked at global entertainment company Turner for almost two decades.

Yaccarino, who has deep roots in the advertising industry, could be a linchpin in Twitter’s future.

Luring advertisers is critical for Musk and Twitter after many fled in the early months after his takeover of the social media platform, fearing harm to their brands in the ensuing chaos. Musk said in late April that advertisers had returned, but he provided no details.

Last month, Yaccarino interviewed Musk on a Miami stage in front of hundreds of advertisers.

Her interest in the media and advertising industry stems from her time at Penn State University. Yaccarino said in an interview with Salesforce in 2021 that she "gravitated towards communications" while in school.

Linda Yaccarino speaks at "Peacock Investor Day" at 30 Rockefeller Center in New York City on Jan. 16, 2020.


"I was very interested in content and content's influence on culture, and that's what kind of landed me in the business of content, which has become media and advertising," she said.

After a brief mishap with her application, she landed her first internship at NBC's media planning department, which she says is "where the love affair was born."

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
"Marrow stupid": Senator John Kennedy Blasts UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer Over Chagos Islands Transfer
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK Surge Reshapes Electoral Dynamics
Kemi Badenoch Faces Internal Criticism After 100 Days as Tory Leader
Campaigners Urge UK to Apologise for Forced Adoptions
Church of England Upholds Traditional Eucharistic Elements Amid Calls for Alternatives
Rayner Defends Approach at Grenfell Tower Meeting Amid Dismantling Plan
China Implements Tit-for-Tat Tariffs on US Goods Amid Trade Escalation
Italy and Wales Set for Six Nations Clash at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico
Ministry of Justice Apologises Over Prisoner Early Release Letter Error
Rare First Edition Harry Potter Book Sells for Over Twenty-One Thousand Pounds
Drax Power Station Under Scrutiny for Incomplete Wood Sourcing Reporting
UK Government Reaffirms Pledge to Build 1.5 Million New Homes by 2029
Freed Israeli Hostage Learns of Family's Death After Release from Gaza
French President Macron Employs Deepfake Technology to Advocate for AI Summit
Trump Names Musk to Investigate Government Fraud Amidst Controversy
Police Stop Ed Sheeran's Street Performance in Bengaluru
FBI Alerts Smartphone Users About Toll Scam Threat
Australian Educator Declares Identity as a Cat, Sparking Parental Backlash
Kremlin Addresses Claims of Trump-Putin Phone Conversation in Light of Ukraine Crisis
Trump Connects with Putin to Address the Ukraine Crisis
Super Bowl Ad Prices Soar to Record Highs Amid Streaming Surge
China Achieves 2030 Solar Energy Targets Early, Cuts Subsidies for Renewable Energy
Trump Signs Executive Order Prioritizing White South African Refugees
Europe Faces Growing Security Concerns and Trump's New Demands on Ukraine
Trump Revokes Security Clearances of Biden Officials, Including Blinken and Sullivan
Justin Bieber Sparks Concern as New Footage Raises Health Fears
European Right-Wing Leaders Celebrate Trump’s Impact on Global Politics
Trump Administration Directs Admiral to Leave Official Residence Within Three Hours
British Health Secretary Andrew Gavin Fired Over Controversial Messages
Report: Iran Attempted to Assassinate Trump During Election Campaign
Trump Declares He Won't Deport Prince Harry, 'He's Already Dealing with Enough Issues with His Wife,' He Comments.
Macron's AI Vision Encounters Hindrance in the Global Technology Competition.
TikTok Sued Over Alleged Child Deaths Caused by 'Blackout Challenge'
Governments Prohibit DeepSeek AI Due to National Security Issues
Russian musician Vadim Stroykin passes away following an apparent fall during a police raid.
Zelensky Suggests Mineral Collaboration with Trump for Security Assistance
Naomi Campbell Claims Unawareness of Financial Irregularities at Fashion for Relief.
House Republican Introduces Bill Aimed at Limiting AI Exports to China
Trump Signs Executive Order Prohibiting Transgender Athletes from Competing in Women's Sports
Intense Pressure Builds for a Free Trade Agreement Between the UK and GCC in Light of Economic Difficulties
UAE Aids in the Transfer of 300 Prisoners Between Russia and Ukraine.
Trump Suggests U.S. 'Takeover' of Gaza, Sparking Global Worries
At least ten fatalities reported in Swedish school shooting, authorities confirm.
EU Reveals Significant Advances on Special Tribunal for Prosecuting Vladimir Putin
Trump Administration Preparing Executive Order to Abolish the Department of Education
Trump's Gaza Plan Provokes Global Debate
Spain Endorses Initiative to Cut Working Week to 37.5 Hours
Australia Prohibits DeepSeek AI on Government Devices Due to Security Issues
Trump Warns of Tariffs on EU Products, Labels Bloc an 'Atrocity' in Trade Matters
Zelenskyy Proposes Nuclear Arsenal if NATO Membership Lingers.
×