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John Nitti steps down as X's global advertising head after 10 months
John Nitti, X’s global head of revenue operations and ad innovation, has quit after just 10 months, marking another major leadership exit under Elon Musk. His departure follows that of CFO Mahmoud Reza Banki and other senior executives, amid growing frustration over Musk’s erratic decisions and shifting priorities.
Nitti’s departure comes as X’s advertising division grapples with internal instability and external skepticism
X, formerly Twitter, has been hit by yet another high-profile departure, as John Nitti, the platform’s Global Head of Revenue Operations and Advertising Innovation, has resigned just ten months into the role, Financial Times reported.
Nitti, who joined the company in early 2024 and was widely seen as a potential successor to former CEO Linda Yaccarino, leaves at a time when Elon Musk’s leadership team faces escalating turbulence. His exit follows a string of senior departures, including Chief Financial Officer Mahmoud Reza Banki, who left in October, and the CFO and general counsel of xAI, Musk’s artificial intelligence venture, who exited earlier this year.
The spate of resignations underscores growing frustration among top executives over Musk’s frequent strategic reversals and unilateral decisions. The FT report notes that several leaders were unsettled by Musk’s abrupt choice to ban hashtags from advertising, a move allegedly made without consulting the ad leadership team.
Nitti’s departure comes as X’s advertising division grapples with internal instability and external skepticism. Reportedly, morale has dipped as Musk channels significant company resources into artificial intelligence development through his firm xAI, in a bid to challenge OpenAI and Google DeepMind.
X has reportedly filed lawsuits against companies including Shell and Pinterest, accusing them of ad boycotts.
Before joining X, Nitti spent nearly a decade at Verizon, where he led media and ad partnerships, and previously held roles at American Express. His decision to leave reflects a widening rift between Musk’s aggressive AI-driven vision and the stability sought by ad executives responsible for the company’s core revenue engine.
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