Bluesky founder Jay Graber steps down as CEO, takes new role as Chief Innovation Officer

Bluesky founder Jay Graber has stepped down as chief executive of the fast-growing social media platform, moving into a newly created role as Chief Innovation Officer as the company enters its next phase of development.

Graber, who has led Bluesky since it became an independent entity in 2021, confirmed the leadership transition yesterday. She will remain with the company and focus on product development and innovation, particularly the future of decentralised social networking.

The leadership change comes as Bluesky surpasses a major milestone of more than 40 million users worldwide.

In a blog post explaining the move, Graber said her strengths lie in the creative and technical work of building new products. As the platform continues to expand rapidly, she noted that the organisation now requires an experienced operator to oversee execution and scale the business.

In her new position as Chief Innovation Officer, Graber plans to focus on advancing the AT Protocol and exploring the next stage of decentralised social media development.

To lead the company during the transition, Bluesky’s board has appointed Toni Schneider as interim chief executive. Schneider is a veteran of the technology industry and is widely recognised for his tenure as chief executive of Automattic, the parent company of WordPress. He is also a partner at the venture capital firm True Ventures and has served as an adviser to Bluesky for more than a year.

His experience in managing open platforms and scaling user-driven digital ecosystems is expected to support the company as it searches for a permanent chief executive.

Bluesky’s growth has been one of the most closely watched developments in the technology sector in recent years. The platform began as a research initiative within Twitter under former chief executive Jack Dorsey before later becoming an independent public benefit corporation.

Since then, it has positioned itself as a leading alternative for users seeking a decentralised and user-controlled social media experience. The platform experienced its most significant growth surge in late 2024, nearly doubling its user base within a few months as users migrated from other mainstream networks.

The leadership transition signals that Bluesky is moving into a more operational phase of its development. While Graber continues to guide the platform’s long-term vision and technological direction, the appointment of Schneider suggests a stronger focus on operational growth and long-term sustainability.

Schneider has already expressed strong support for the company’s mission to build an open social web, emphasising that maintaining user ownership of data and digital identity remains a core priority for the platform.