Linda Yaccarino has stepped down as the CEO of social media platform X, making her the latest top executive to part ways with Elon Musk’s business empire as his personal and professional life becomes increasingly hectic.
In a statement posted on X’s official account on Wednesday, Yaccarino expressed gratitude for the opportunity to lead the company and work towards its mission. She had been with X since June 2023, bringing with her extensive experience from her time at NBC and Turner Broadcasting System.
Yaccarino’s departure comes amidst challenges faced by the social media platform under Musk’s leadership, including a decline in user numbers and the emergence of competitors like Bluesky. Recent incidents, such as a chatbot sharing inappropriate content, have also raised concerns about the platform’s management.
Yaccarino joins a list of high-profile executives who have recently left Musk’s business empire, including Omead Afshar, Jenna Ferrua, Milan Kovac, Vineet Mehta, Mark Westfall, and Brett Weitz. Each of these individuals played significant roles within Musk’s companies before deciding to move on to new endeavors.
Eran Media Executive previously worked at WarnerMedia and Turner before joining X in 2023. According to Deadline, Weitz led X’s Originals documentary-style video series and introduced video podcasts, including Khloé Kardashian’s Khloé in Wonder Land.
David Lau, former VP of software engineering at TeslaDeparture: April 2025Lau’s departure earlier this year was described as sudden after his 12-year tenure at the EV company. Lau is credited with revolutionizing software management in cars at Tesla, enhancing the user experience.
Dave Heinzinger, former Head of Media Strategy at X Departure: March 2025Heinzinger’s brief tenure at X lasted only four months before he resigned for personal reasons in March. He praised Yaccarino’s talent recruitment in an interview upon leaving. He is now the president of Haymaker Group, a PR firm in New York.
Haofei Wang, former Head of Product Engineering at XDeparture: March 2025Wang, who joined Twitter in July 2021, left X in March for undisclosed reasons. He is noted for working closely with Musk and bridging communication between Musk and the engineering team.
Tom Ochinero, former VP of Commercial Business at SpaceX Departure: February 2024Ochinero was one of the few high-level executives to depart SpaceX, now leading an early-stage investment group.
Nick Pickles, former VP of Global Affairs at XDeparture: September 2024Pickles, a key spokesperson for X, left last September after a decade in public policy roles at Twitter and X. He is now the chief policy officer of Tools for Humanity.
Renato Leite Monteiro, former Global Data Protection Officer at XDeparture: September 2024Monteiro was among the holdovers from X’s Twitter era who stayed after Musk’s takeover. He recently became the VP for legal assurance at e&, a tech and investment group in Abu Dhabi.
David Zhang, former Roadster and Next-Generation Vehicle Program Manager at TeslaDeparture: July 2024Zhang, known for his work on Tesla’s Model S and Cybertruck, left in July 2024 to pursue new opportunities.
Joe Benarroch, former Head of Operations at XDeparture: UnknownBenarroch’s departure date and details are not provided in the text.
Departure Date: June 2024
Renowned as Yaccarino’s most trusted aide, Benarroch stepped down from the social media platform in early June 2024, having served a tenure of one year and one month. According to his LinkedIn profile, Benarroch was brought on board by Yaccarino from NBCUniversal to oversee the reorganization efforts at X post significant layoffs. Additionally, Benarroch spearheaded the corporate communication strategies at X. Presently, Benarroch holds the position of Head of Content, Media Partnerships, and Distribution at the NYSE.
This article was originally published on Fortune.com.
