Bluesky CEO Jay Graber steps down, moves to chief innovation role

Jay Graber is stepping down as CEO of Bluesky and transitioning to a new role as the company’s chief innovation officer, the social media platform announced Monday.

Graber, who helped grow the rival to X and Threads to roughly 43 million users while advancing its underlying AT Protocol, will be replaced by Toni Schneider as interim CEO. 

Schneider previously served as CEO of Automattic and is currently a partner at True Ventures.

Both Automattic and True Ventures are investors in Bluesky.

In a blog post announcing the leadership change, Graber said that as Bluesky matures, the company needs a “seasoned operator focused on scaling and execution.” She added that her strengths lie in developing the platform’s technology.

“I’m most energised by exploring new ideas, bringing a vision to life and helping people discover their strengths,” Graber wrote. 

“Transitioning to a more focused role where I can do what brings me energy is my way of putting that belief into practice.”

Bluesky’s board said it will begin searching for a permanent CEO.

Schneider’s experience at Automattic — the company behind WordPress.com — is expected to help Bluesky balance its open-source foundations with the need to build a sustainable business.

Bluesky saw rapid growth after Elon Musk acquired Twitter, now known as X, prompting some users to seek alternative platforms. 

As the network expanded, however, it also faced ongoing challenges related to content moderation and governance.