Bluesky CEO Jay Graber announced Monday that she’s stepping down from her position and moving to a new role as chief innovation officer of the decentralized social network.
“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, who is based in Seattle, wrote in a post.
Toni Schneider, former CEO of Automattic (operates WordPress.com) and partner at True Ventures, is joining Bluesky as interim CEO while the board searches for a permanent new leader.
“I deeply believe in what this team has built and the open social web they’re fighting for,” Schneider, who has been an advisor to Bluesky and Graber, wrote on LinkedIn. He also penned a blog post on Bluesky.
Graber has led Bluesky since 2021, when it spun out of Twitter. The platform has become a leading alternative to X, growing its user base 60% last year from 25.9 million users to 41.4 million. The company reported Monday that it now has 43 million users.
“Scaling up this company has been a learning experience unlike anything else,” Graber wrote in her post. “I’ve grown a lot as a leader and had the privilege of assembling the best team I’ve ever worked with.”
She added: “I’m most energized by exploring new ideas, bringing a vision to life, and helping people discover their strengths. Transitioning to a more focused role where I can do what brings me energy is my way of putting that belief into practice.”
Wired reported that the chief innovation officer position was created for Graber, who also sits on the company’s board.
Bluesky has differentiated itself from other social media networks with the AT Protocol, an open technical standard for social media that Bluesky’s team built as the foundation for its network. Most social networks today are walled gardens, where one company runs the servers, owns the data, and sets the rules.
“Last year, we grew a world-class team, expanded the AT Protocol ecosystem, and proved that a values-driven social network could thrive at scale,” Graber wrote.
Bluesky has no official headquarters. Graber and several employees work out of a co-working space in Seattle.
Graber was honored at last year’s GeekWire Gala as one of five Uncommon Thinkers — inventors, scientists, and entrepreneurs selected in partnership with Greater Seattle Partners for their work transforming industries and the world.
Related: Uncommon Thinkers: Bluesky CEO Jay Graber is planting the seeds for a decentralized digital world
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