Former X CEO Yaccarino says advertiser relationships drove platform’s turnaround

Former X CEO Linda Yaccarino said relationship-based negotiations were central to rebuilding the platform’s advertiser base after Elon Musk hired her in May 2023 to stabilize the former Twitter. Yaccarino, speaking on Yahoo Finance’s Power Players podcast published May 13, 2026, said effective dealmaking requires communication before negotiations intensify and that both sides should “be smarting a little” after a fair agreement. She said X regained advertisers, improved financial stability and became profitable during her tenure. Yaccarino left X on July 09, 2025, after about two years leading business operations, video expansion, digital wallet initiatives and advertiser outreach. She is now leading eMed, a GLP-1-focused health company that recently raised funding and lists Tom Brady as founding chief wellness officer.