Bluesky CEO Jay Graber steps down, names interim successor

On Monday, Bluesky announced that CEO Jay Graber is stepping down from the top leadership position to transition to a new role as chief innovation officer. Toni Schneider, a partner at True Ventures (a venture capital firm), will step in as interim CEO to lead the platform. The leadership transition comes as the social network, which competes with X and Threads, has reached 43 million users and continues to develop its underlying AT Protocol (the underlying technology protocol for Bluesky). Both True Ventures and Automattic (the company behind WordPress.com) are investors in Bluesky.

In a blog post announcing the changes, Graber explained that Bluesky now requires an operator focused on scaling and execution, noting that she feels better suited to building the platform’s technology. “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,” Graber said.

Schneider, who previously served as CEO of Automattic, brings experience in balancing open-source technology with commercial growth. In his own blog post, Schneider stated that Bluesky has resolved a long-standing industry challenge by combining the personal freedom and ownership of an open network with the ease of use expected from modern social services. He noted that the platform has grown to more than 40 million users with an ecosystem of over 500 active apps. Schneider will remain active in his role at True Ventures during the transition while Bluesky’s board searches for a permanent chief executive.

The leadership shift occurs as Bluesky navigates operational and regulatory hurdles. The platform has “struggled with moderation issues as it scaled,” balancing user expectations of a heavier hand with its own promotion of user-managed moderation tools. Additionally, Bluesky is facing challenges complying with age-assurance laws. These legal requirements have already impacted its operations in several states; a law in Mississippi led to Bluesky “choosing to block the state entirely,” while other state laws in Ohio, South Dakota, and Wyoming have forced the company to begin age verification.

Why it matters

Bluesky is transitioning leadership as it navigates scaling challenges, including moderation issues and compliance with a growing number of age-assurance laws.