WhatsApp co-founder Brian Acton has been appointed as the interim CEO of messaging app Signal. This comes after Moxie Marlinspike, current CEO of Signal, announced that he will step down. Marlinspike has been working on Signal for the past decade and said that he is currently scouting for candidates for the permanent CEO position.
"It’s difficult to overstate how important Signal is to me, but I now feel very comfortable replacing myself as CEO based on the team we have, and also believe that it is an important step for expanding on Signal’s success," Marlinspike said in a blog post.
"I've been talking with candidates over the last few months, but want to open up the search with this announcement in order to help find the best person for the next decade of Signal."
Marlinspike will continue to remain on the Signal board and will be transitioning out as CEO over the next month in order to focus on the candidate search.
"Brian Acton, who is also on the Signal Foundation board, has volunteered to serve as interim CEO during the search period. I have every confidence in his commitment to the mission and ability to facilitate the team for this time," Marlinspike said.
In 2018 Acton and Marlinspike started the non-profit Signal Foundation, which currently oversees the app, by providing initial funding of $50m.
Acton co-founded WhatsApp in 2009 and the company was bought by Facebook in 2014. According to Signal's website, he left WhatsApp in 2017 due to differences around the use of customer data and targeted advertising.
"Thank you to everyone who has helped make Signal what it is, has been supportive of what we’re building, and has been there along the way. We already have so much exciting work that’s coming soon in the pipeline right now, and I’m optimistic about all the potential for Signal over the next decade," Marlinspike concluded.
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