Twitter CEO-for-now Jack Dorsey
On a wild day when investors couldn’t figure out whether they loved or hated Twitter’s second-quarter earnings, one thing was clear: Jack Dorsey is in charge.
At least for now. But during a blunt earnings conference call also broadcast on Twitter’s Periscope app, Dorsey sounded as if he’d really like to do the job much longer.
Dorsey, the temporary Twitter CEO who’s also CEO of soon-to-go-public Square, isn’t expected to get the permanent nod for the top job. Current speculation centers mostly on two people. One is Adam Bain, president of global revenue and partnerships, who can boast a better-than-expected performance on the advertising revenue front this past quarter as well as the undying love of the entire ad industry. The other is fast-rising Chief Financial Officer Anthony Noto.
Nonetheless, Dorsey sure sounded like an owner, not just a temporarily returning cofounder, throughout the earnings call. Plainly laying out how recent user growth initiatives haven’t worked, he said, “This is unacceptable and we’re not happy about it.” …
Whatever title Dorsey ends up with, it’s clear that he intends to drive Twitter’s future. “I’ve never been more sure of the value Twitter brings to our world,” he said at the close of the earnings call. And, it seems, never more sure that he’s the guy to prove it.
Robert Hof 