Explainer: Who is Linda Yaccarino, New Twitter CEO?

Linda Yaccarino is Twitter’s new Chief Executive Officer.

A month before becoming Twitter’s CEO, Yaccarino interviewed Elon Musk for NBCU in April. She praised Musk for his high work ethic and described him as “her match”.

Yaccarino earned a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts from Penn State University where she was awarded the distinguished Alumni Award.

As an accomplished executive in the media and advertising industries, Yaccarino has had an extensive career at NBCUniversal, where she held the position of Chairman of Global Advertising and Partnerships. She joined the company in 2011, and was instrumental in rebuilding its advertising business for the 21st century.

Prior to joining NBCUniversal, she spent over 19 years at Turner Entertainment, where she was the Executive Vice President and COO of Advertising Sales and Marketing and Acquisitions.

Under her leadership, NBCU transitioned to “One Platform,” a model that allows marketers to reach their target viewers across both linear and digital platforms. She also led the company through the COVID-19 pandemic, partnering with various bodies to educate millions of Americans through a massive PSA campaign.

She was honored with the prestigious Matrix Award by New York Women in Communications in 2020.

With the acquisition of Sky by Comcast NBCUniversal, Yaccarino took her transformative approach global, leading the development of the first-ever combined advertising and sponsorship program for the LA 2028 Olympics. She also united the advanced video advertising capabilities of both NBCUniversal and Sky, creating a groundbreaking global offering for marketers.

She was recognized as Business Insider’s “Top 10 People Transforming Advertising”; Adweek’s “Ten Most Powerful Women in TV”; Hollywood Reporter’s “Women in Entertainment: Power 100”; and Variety’s “Power Women of New York.”