Bluesky Leadership Shifts as Founder Graber Moves to Innovation Role

Jay Graber, who helped steer Bluesky from a Twitter research project to an independent network, is transitioning from her role as Chief Executive Officer. The company confirmed the leadership change today. Venture capitalist Toni Schneider, former CEO of Automattic and a Bluesky investor, will serve as interim CEO while a permanent successor is found.

Graber, Bluesky's first CEO since its 2021 founding, will assume the position of Chief Innovation Officer. In this new capacity, she will concentrate on developing new features for the platform, which has grown from 30 million to 40 million users in the past year.

In a statement, Graber expressed confidence in Schneider, noting his long-standing advisory role and shared belief in Bluesky's mission to create a more open, user-driven internet. Automattic and True Ventures, where Schneider holds roles, are both investors in the social platform.

Schneider, in a separate blog post, acknowledged his initial skepticism about decentralized social media but said meeting Graber and Chief Operating Officer Rose Wang convinced him of its potential. He emphasized the company's ongoing commitment to its core principles. "The commitment to an open, user-controlled social web isn't going anywhere," Schneider wrote. "You own your identity, your data, your graph. We will continue to work on earning trust and moving towards a fully decentralized system." The leadership transition marks a new chapter for the rapidly growing network.

Source: The Verge