Elon Musk’s Biographer: Linda Yaccarino is the Right Person for the Job

Introduction

Elon Musk's biographer, Walter Isaacson, continues to express confidence in Musk's decision to appoint Linda Yaccarino as the CEO of X (formerly known as Twitter), despite her rocky interview at Vox Media's Code Conference. Isaacson, who closely followed Musk for over two years while writing a book about him, spoke about Yaccarino's appointment and her suitability for the role. While acknowledging that her interview was "not a pretty sight," Isaacson believes that Yaccarino possesses the necessary understanding of human emotions and advertising desires to lead X effectively.

Understanding X's Leadership Choice

Isaacson emphasizes that Musk didn't need another engineer to head X; instead, he required someone with a deep understanding of human emotions and advertising desires. According to Isaacson, Yaccarino is precisely the right person for this role. Despite the rocky interview at the Code Conference, Isaacson reveals that he personally hopes for her success because he believes she is exactly what Twitter needs.

Yaccarino's Impulsive Hire

Isaacson describes Yaccarino's appointment as an impulsive decision by Musk. Yaccarino was the former head of global ads and partnerships at NBCUniversal. Isaacson believes that her impulsive hiring reflects Musk's trust in her ability to lead X effectively.

Yaccarino's Journey to Becoming X's CEO

In Isaacson's biography of Musk, he outlines the process through which Yaccarino became the CEO of X. Yaccarino had never met Musk before, but she managed to arrange a private dinner with him and a dozen top advertisers by convincing him to allow her to interview him onstage at an ad sales conference in Miami. During the interview, Yaccarino proposed herself as the leader of Twitter, sharing a similar vision of what the platform could become. Her proactive approach impressed Musk and ultimately led to her appointment as X's CEO.

Yaccarino's Rocky Interview at Code Conference

Yaccarino's appearance at Vox's Code Conference drew significant scrutiny and criticism. During the interview, she spent a considerable amount of time defending past decisions made by Musk. Furthermore, Yaccarino expressed surprise at the unexpected presence of Yoel Roth, the former head of trust and safety at Twitter, at the conference. Roth had faced death threats after being doxxed following comments made by Musk about him on Twitter.

Roth's Warning to Yaccarino

Tech journalist Kara Swisher interviewed Roth, who offered advice to Yaccarino on working with Musk. Roth's warning to her was to be worried about Musk's actions and the potential impact they could have on her and her loved ones. Roth's experience with the threats he received highlighted the serious consequences of Musk's comments.

Yaccarino's Response

Yaccarino later took the stage at the conference. She addressed the concerns surrounding her appearance and clarified that she did not know Roth. Yaccarino emphasized X's commitment to free expression and freedom of speech, contrasting it with Twitter's previous approach, which she described as leaning toward censorship. She assured the audience that X operates on a different set of rules and ideologies.

Questioning Yaccarino's Authority

During the interview, CNBC's Julia Boorstin questioned Yaccarino's authority as the CEO of X, suggesting that she might be more of a COO or have a placebo role due to the reporting structure at Meta. Yaccarino responded by dismissing the speculation and highlighting Musk's role in leading the product team. She expressed her appreciation for having Musk involved in the product development process.

Inconsistencies during the Interview

At various points in the interview, Yaccarino appeared unsure about Musk's previous statements. She contradicted Musk's tweet about X's election integrity team being disbanded, leading to moments of confusion.

In conclusion, despite the challenging interview, Elon Musk's biographer, Walter Isaacson, stands by Musk's decision to appoint Linda Yaccarino as the CEO of X. Isaacson believes she possesses the necessary qualities to lead X effectively, and her understanding of human emotions and advertising desires makes her the right person for the job. Only time will tell how Yaccarino's leadership will shape X's future.—————————————————————————————————————————————
By: sjackson@insider.com (Sarah Jackson)
Title: Elon Musk’s Biographer: Linda Yaccarino is the Right Person for the Job
Sourced From: www.businessinsider.com/walter-isaacson-x-ceo-linda-yaccarino-interview-2023-9
Published Date: Thu, 28 Sep 2023 19:16:54 +0000