Jay Graber is not Bluesky's CEO anymore
What's the story
Jay Graber, the CEO of social media platform Bluesky, has announced her resignation from the top leadership position. She will be taking on a new role as Chief Innovation Officer at the company. The announcement was made by Bluesky itself. Graber's decision comes after leading the X and Threads competitor to 43 million users and advancing its underlying AT Protocol.
Leadership transition
Toni Schneider to take over as interim CEO
Toni Schneider, the former CEO of Automattic and a partner at True Ventures, will take over as interim CEO. Both Automattic and True Ventures are investors in Bluesky. In a blog post announcing the leadership change, Graber emphasized that Bluesky needs a "seasoned operator focused on scaling and execution" as it matures into a more established company.
Future plans
Graber says she's more suited to focus on building tech
Graber said she is more suited to focus on building Bluesky's technology. She said, "I'm most energized by exploring new ideas, bringing a vision to life, and helping people discover their strengths." The company has announced that its board will be looking for a permanent CEO. In the interim period, Schneider's experience with Automattic could help him navigate the balance between open-source tech and profitability needs.
Company performance
Bluesky's growth and challenges under Graber's leadership
Under Graber's leadership, Bluesky witnessed significant growth, especially after Elon Musk bought Twitter (now X) and made several changes to the platform. However, the company also faced moderation issues while scaling. Some users wanted stricter moderation from Bluesky, while others preferred self-managed moderation tools. Now, Bluesky is dealing with age assurance laws for social media platforms in several US states including Mississippi, Ohio, South Dakota and Wyoming.