Telecom
Meet Linda Yaccarinon, Newly Appointed CEO of Twitter
Linda Yaccarino, the newly appointed CEO of Twitter was previously NBC Universal’s top advertising sales executive, she was on Friday officially announced as the new CEO of Twitter by Elon Musk.
Musk, who acquired Twitter last fall, tweeted his excitement about Yaccarino joining the company and mentioned that she would primarily focus on business operations while he concentrates on product design and new technology. The goal is to transform the platform into an all-encompassing app called “X, the everything app.”
Yaccarino is expected to assume her role at Twitter by the end of June. Musk, on the other hand, will take on the positions of executive chair and CTO. His acquisition of Twitter was a result of a contentious back-and-forth with the board.
One of Yaccarino’s primary responsibilities will be to rebuild Twitter’s advertising business, which Musk claimed had suffered a significant decline of up to 50% after he acquired the company.
Advertisers have been cautious due to Musk’s unpredictable decisions in running Twitter and his reinstatement of previously banned accounts.
Yaccarino is known to hold conservative political views and had served on Donald Trump’s council on sports and nutrition during his presidency.
However, her imminent appointment as Twitter CEO caused a stir on “conspiracy Twitter” as right-wing users discovered her affiliation with the World Economic Forum (WEF), an organization they perceive negatively. Yaccarino had chaired the WEF’s Taskforce on the Future of Work.
After announcing Yaccarino’s hire, Musk commented that he believes people from both ends of the political spectrum will find her to be smart, fair, and reasonable.
This announcement followed Musk’s previous day’s announcement about hiring a new CEO without disclosing her name. Reports soon revealed that Yaccarino, NBCU’s chairman of global advertising and partnerships, was in talks for the Twitter CEO position. On Friday, prior to Musk’s confirmation, Yaccarino resigned from NBCU.
Musk had previously stated his intention to step aside as Twitter’s chief executive once he found a suitable replacement. However, he will retain full control of the social network and remain closely involved in its management.
Although Musk’s deal for Twitter was initially valued at $44 billion, he now values the company at $20 billion. He has recently renamed the company “X Corp.” as the parent organization of Twitter.
Yaccarino’s interest in Twitter stems from recognizing the opportunities within the platform. Lou Paskalis, a former senior marketing executive at Bank of America, mentioned that Twitter is likely selling advertising at significant discounts in exchange for volume commitments.
Before her tenure at NBCU, Yaccarino spent 20 years in ad sales and marketing roles at Turner, holding positions such as EVP/COO of advertising sales, marketing, and acquisitions.
Who is Linda Yaccarinon?
63-year-old Linda Yaccarino was born in New York City. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in economics, and she began her career in advertising at J. Walter Thompson.
Linda Yaccarino Career
Yaccarino began her career in the media industry in 1986, when she joined Young & Rubicam as an account executive.
She quickly rose through the ranks, and in 1996, she was named President of the agency’s New York office. In 2000, Yaccarino joined NBCUniversal as President of Advertising Sales. She was promoted to Chairman of Global Advertising and Partnerships in 2018.
She quickly rose through the ranks, and in 2011 she was named chairman of global advertising and partnerships.
In this role, she is responsible for all of NBCUniversal’s advertising sales, including for its broadcast networks, cable networks, and streaming services.
Under Yaccarino’s leadership, NBCUniversal’s advertising business has grown significantly. In 2022, the company generated $13 billion in ad revenue, making it one of the largest advertising sales organizations in the world.
Yaccarino has also been a vocal advocate for the media industry, and she has spoken out on a variety of issues, including the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace, the need for better measurement of advertising effectiveness, and the future of the media industry in the digital age.
Linda Yaccarino Personality
Yaccarino is perceived as a strong advocate for the advertising industry, and she has been a vocal critic of the way that digital platforms have disrupted the traditional advertising model. She has also been a leader in the development of new ways to measure the effectiveness of advertising.
In addition to her work in the advertising industry, Yaccarino is also a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Agenda Council on the Future of Work. She is also a member of the board of directors of several companies, including the New York Stock Exchange and the National Association of Broadcasters.
Yaccarino is a highly respected leader in the advertising industry, and she is known for her intelligence, her creativity, and her passion for her work. She is a role model for women in business, and she is an inspiration to many.
She has been a strong advocate for the future of work, and she is committed to helping people prepare for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.
Linda Yaccarino has been recognized for her work by numerous organizations, including Adweek, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal.
Role at the World Economic Forum’s (WEF)
Yaccarino is also a member of the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Future Council on the Future of Media, Entertainment and Culture. She is also a member of the WEF’s Board of Trustees. Yaccarino is a strong advocate for the role of media in society, and she believes that the media can play a vital role in shaping the future of the world.
Linda Yaccarino’s accomplishments
- She is the first woman to lead NBCUniversal’s advertising sales business.
- She has been named one of the most powerful women in business by Fortune magazine.
- She is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on the Future of Media, Entertainment and Culture.
- Linda Yaccarino is a strong advocate for the role of media in society.
She is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania. She is a role model for women in business and an inspiration to many.
A Seasoned Ads Executive
Linda Yaccarino brings a wealth of experience to her new position. With an impressive background in advertising, she served as the chairman of global advertising and partnerships at NBCU for over a decade.
During her tenure, she achieved outstanding success, generating over $100 billion in sales according to her profile on the company’s website. Yaccarino’s expertise in the advertising industry is poised to play a crucial role in shaping Twitter’s monetization strategies and driving revenue growth.
Presidential Appointment
Yaccarino’s accomplishments extend beyond the corporate realm. Former U.S. President Donald Trump appointed her to the Presidential Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition. This recognition highlights her ability to navigate diverse domains and collaborate with influential figures at the highest levels of government.
Spearheading COVID-19 Vaccination Campaigns
In the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic, Yaccarino demonstrated her commitment to public health initiatives. She worked closely with the White House and Pope Francis to develop and execute impactful vaccination campaigns. Her collaboration with such prominent entities underscores her ability to navigate complex partnerships and address critical societal challenges.
A Woman With Experience
While specific details about Linda Yaccarino’s age remain private, reports suggest that she is approximately 60 years old. This wealth of experience brings a seasoned perspective to her new role, encompassing decades of professional achievements, industry insights, and a proven track record of success.
MTN Nigeria is accelerating investments in network expansion and modernization to address rising demand for mobile and data services across the country.
The operator is deploying additional base stations, upgrading existing infrastructure, and expanding fiber connectivity to improve network capacity, coverage, and service quality.
The investments are designed to support increasing smartphone adoption, higher data consumption, and the growing use of digital services by consumers and businesses.
MTN said the expansion aligns with its long-term strategy to enhance customer experience while strengthening Nigeria’s digital infrastructure.
The company expects the ongoing upgrades to improve connectivity, support economic growth, and enable broader access to reliable telecommunications services as demand for high-speed broadband continues to increase.
Airtel Africa’s CEO, Sunil Taldar, has announced the telco’s commitment to connecting 5,000 schools across its operating countries in Africa to the internet by 2027 through its philanthropic arm, Airtel Africa Foundation, in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
So far, the $57m partnership, which was launched in 2021, has cumulatively connected 3,296 schools and provided access to over 2 million learners and about 40,000 teachers. 64 digital learning platforms have been zero-rated thereby enabling more than 11m users to access educational content at no cost.
Speaking during a visit to St. Monica’s Girls School in Lusaka, which is one of the 300 schools already connected to the internet in Zambia, the Airtel Africa CEO stated that the initiative is having a profound impact on the quality of education by expanding access to digital learning resources for African children, in collaboration with governments.
Mr Taldar added: “Students are accessing best-in-class education from the curriculum developed by UNICEF in partnership with various Ministries of Education and provided through Airtel’s connectivity.
“We are also training teachers, so that they deliver digital education effectively. We aim to continue deepening meaningful connectivity in schools by providing free internet access, zero‑rated platforms and training teachers across the continent”.
Expressing her appreciation, the Headmistress of St. Monica’s Girls’ School, Sr Matilda Soloko said: “Being among the first schools connected in the initial stage, our learners have been able to study using the learning portal and their studies have been intensified. We remain grateful to Airtel and UNICEF.”
UNICEF’s Country Representative for Zambia, Dr Saja Farooq Abdullah said: “What this partnership has brought is really bridging the equality gap and the digital divide. It is making sure that every child learns wherever they are. It was exciting and interesting to see and hear from the girls how they can learn at their own pace, how they can review the materials, and how they do their homework with comfort.
The Director of Secondary Education in Zambia’s Ministry of Education, Yvonne Mwemba Chuulu lauded UNICEF and Airtel for the partnership saying: “At the Ministry of Education, we cannot do it alone, and we are grateful for the partnership that we have today.
“Our children are able to learn in a blended fashion, where we have a teacher who is also employing digital devices. We have also heard from the learners that they are able to access the portal when they are at home, which is a good thing because our learners continue to learn in the comfort of their homes”.
The School Connection programme is expanding digital learning to learners in 13 countries: Chad, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia. By equipping these schools with internet connectivity and training teachers on using the digital tools, it is providing children, particularly in underserved and remote regions, with the digital tools and skills they need to thrive.
Airtel Africa Foundation is advancing inclusive development across four strategic pillars, Financial Inclusion, Education, Environmental Sustainability and Digital Inclusion.
MultiChoice has officially become a wholly owned subsidiary of French media company Canal+, marking the completion of one of the largest acquisitions in Africa’s media and entertainment industry.
The integration brings the South Africa-based pay television operator under the full ownership of Canal+, a global media group with operations in 70 countries.
Announcing the completion of the transaction on Thursday, Chief Executive Officer of Canal+ Africa and MultiChoice, David Mignot, described the development as the beginning of a new phase of growth for the broadcaster.
“MultiChoice is now a full subsidiary of a truly international media group operating in 70 countries.
“The group was founded in France, is listed in London and Johannesburg, and has a strong African presence with operations in more than 45 countries,” Mignot said.
The acquisition combines Canal+’s international operations with MultiChoice’s extensive footprint across sub-Saharan Africa, where it serves millions of households through its DStv and GOtv platforms, as well as the Showmax streaming service.
According to Canal+, the integration will strengthen MultiChoice’s competitive position by giving it access to broader financial resources, technology, content partnerships and operational expertise.
The company said the combined business would increase investment in local content production, sports broadcasting and streaming services as competition intensifies from global platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+.
The transaction is also expected to provide MultiChoice with greater access to international markets at a time when traditional pay television operators are adapting to changing consumer viewing habits and the rapid growth of digital streaming platforms.
Canal+ has expanded steadily across Africa over the past decade and now assumes full control of a business operating in more than 45 African countries, further strengthening its position in the continent’s media and entertainment sector.
The acquisition followed Canal+’s gradual increase in its shareholding in MultiChoice, which began in 2024.
After exceeding the regulatory threshold, the company launched a mandatory offer in April 2024 to acquire the remaining shares of the Johannesburg-listed broadcaster.
Following regulatory approvals and shareholder acceptance, Canal+ secured control of MultiChoice in 2025 before completing the process that has now made the company a wholly owned subsidiary.
Industry observers describe the acquisition as one of the most significant media transactions involving an African company, reflecting a broader trend of consolidation as global entertainment firms seek greater scale to compete in the streaming era.
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