Linda Yaccarino, the woke chief executive of X/Twitter, has made significant changes to her inner circle as she faces mounting pressure from owner Elon Musk to improve the platform’s financial performance.
The Financial Times reports that Yaccarino recently fired Joe Benarroch, her head of business operations and communications, who was widely regarded as her right-hand man. The decision came after Benarroch was held responsible for mishandling the rollout of X’s new adult content policy, failing to inform clients of the changes before they became public.
Taking over Benarroch’s responsibilities is Nick Pickles, the global government affairs head, whose role has been temporarily expanded to include directing all global communications. Pickles, one of the few top Twitter staffers to survive Musk’s takeover, has seen his influence grow within the company. This week, he attended the Cannes advertising festival alongside Yaccarino and Musk for the first time, signaling his increased importance in the organization.
Elon Musk smirks (Wired Photostream/Flickr)
The reshuffle comes at a critical time for X, as Yaccarino grapples with the challenge of stabilizing the platform’s financial health. Sources close to the matter report growing tensions between Musk and Yaccarino, stemming from her struggles to meet the billionaire’s expectations for revenue growth and cost-cutting measures. These pressures have led to staff reductions in the US and UK sales teams and decreased spending on items such as travel.
Adding to the complexity of the situation, Steve Davis, a long-standing Musk ally and CEO of The Boring Company, was brought in by Musk in April to review X’s finances and performance management. Davis, who previously led a cost-cutting effort at X following its acquisition, is reportedly assessing low performers and targeting dozens of jobs for potential cuts. This move has been interpreted by some as a sign of continued concerns about the platform’s financial stability.
The involvement of Davis has raised questions about Yaccarino’s authority within the company. Sources familiar with her thinking suggest she is aware of Davis as a potential threat to her position. Davis’s wife also works at X, overseeing the platform’s real estate strategy, further complicating the power dynamics within the organization.
Despite these internal challenges, Yaccarino and Musk have been actively working to rebuild relationships with advertisers. Last week, they attended the Cannes advertising festival to woo back ad agency and brand bosses who had previously pulled spending from the platform. Their efforts come in response to concerns about content moderation and Musk’s controversial leadership style.
X executives have reported that more than 60 percent of brands that had paused advertising have resumed spending in recent months, albeit at reduced levels. The platform’s management has been keen to emphasize the safety of the site for brands and highlight new features such as improved video capabilities and targeted marketing tools.
Read more at the Financial Times here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
