Bluesky CEO Jay Graber steps down to become CIO
Bluesky CEO Jay Graber is stepping down from her position and transitioning to the role of chief innovation officer. The company announced that Toni Schneider, a partner at True Ventures and former CEO of Automattic, will replace Graber as interim CEO. Bluesky’s board will search for a permanent chief executive.
The leadership change signals a shift toward scaling operations for the social media platform, which has grown to more than 40 million users. Graber stated that Bluesky needs a “seasoned operator focused on scaling and execution” as a more mature company. She explained that she feels better suited to building the technology itself.
Graber helped grow Bluesky to 43 million users and advanced the development of its AT Protocol. The platform saw significant growth following Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter, now X. Bluesky has also struggled with moderation issues as it scaled, with users expecting a heavier hand while the company promoted user-managed tools.
Schneider co-founded Automattic and served as its CEO. He commercialized WordPress’s open source technology through WordPress.com. His experience positions him to balance open source technology with the profit needs of a company.
Bluesky is facing challenges complying with age-assurance laws. The company blocked Mississippi entirely due to one state law. It has begun age verification in Ohio, South Dakota, and Wyoming.
In a blog post, Schneider highlighted an ecosystem of over 500 active apps. He stated the focus will be on the next phase of growth, allowing third-party builders to thrive. Schneider will remain active in his role at True Ventures during the transition.
Automattic and True Ventures are investors in Bluesky. The company promoted user-managed moderation tools as it scaled. Schneider wrote that Bluesky has created a network combining open ownership with ease of use.