Bluesky's CEO is stepping down after nearly 5 years
Source: Engadget
Leadership Change
Bluesky CEO Jay Graber, who has led the up‑start social platform since 2021, is stepping down from her role as top executive. Toni Schneider, an advisor and investor in Bluesky, will take over the job temporarily while Graber stays on as Chief Innovation Officer.
“As Bluesky matures, the company needs a seasoned operator focused on scaling and execution, while I return to what I do best: building new things,” Graber wrote in a blog post.
Schneider, formerly CEO at WordPress parent Automattic, will serve as the “experienced operator and leader” while Bluesky’s board searches for a permanent CEO.
Background
Graber’s involvement with Bluesky dates back to its early days as a side project at Jack Dorsey’s Twitter. She was officially appointed CEO in 2021 when Bluesky spun off into an independent company (the platform ended its association with Twitter in 2022, and Dorsey cut ties with Bluesky in 2024). Under her leadership, Bluesky launched publicly, grew from an invitation‑only service to a platform with 43 million users, and became known for advocating decentralized social media.
Company Overview
Nearly three years after its public launch, Bluesky has carved out a small but influential niche in the post‑Twitter social landscape. The platform is less than a third the size of Meta’s Threads, which has adopted some of Bluesky’s signature features. Bluesky has not yet introduced meaningful monetization features, though a premium subscription service has been teased.
Future Outlook
As Chief Innovation Officer, Graber will likely remain an influential voice at the company. According to Wired, she also retains a seat on Bluesky’s board, giving her input on the search for a permanent CEO. In the interim, Schneider—who is also a partner at VC firm Tre Ventures—will lead the company.
“I deeply believe in what this team has built and the open social web they’re fighting for,” Schneider wrote in a post on Bluesky.
This article originally appeared on Engadget: