Linda Yaccarino is an American media executive and the CEO of X Corp. and Twitter, who has made a name for herself in the industry. She has earned a reputation for her leadership skills and her ability to drive innovation and growth in the companies she has worked for. Linda has spent more than a decade with NBCUniversal, as the chair of advertising sales, and during her time there, she was involved in some of the biggest media deals, including the launch of the Peacock streaming service. She made headlines in May 2023, when Twitter owner Elon Musk announced that Yaccarino would succeed him as the new chief executive officer of X Corp. and Twitter. Having been recognized for her contributions to the industry, she chaired the Ad Council’s board of directors for a term between 2021 and 2022 and also haired the future of the work task force for the World Economic Forum. She has also been named to Forbes’ list of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women multiple times and was inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame in 2019.
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Linda Yaccarino Biography
Linda Yaccarino was born on November 27, 1963, in Long Island, New York, U.S. According to her birthday, she is 59 years old as of 2024.
| Birth Name | Linda Yaccarino |
| Nickname | Velvet Hammer |
| Born | November 27, 1963 |
| Age | 59 years old |
| Birth Place | Long Island, New York, U.S. |
| Star Sign | Sagittarius |
| Profession | Media Executive, CEO of Twitter and X Corp. |
| Nationality | American |
| Residence | Sea Cliff, Nassau County, Long Island, New York, US |
| Ethnicity | Italian |
Family and Early Life
Linda Yaccarino was born on August 24, 1962, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Italian immigrants Bob Yaccarino and his wife Isabella Yaccarino. Her parents immigrated to the United States in the 1950s. She is the youngest of six children and grew up in a tight-knit family. Her father worked in the police department and her mother was a homemaker.
Linda received her Bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Pennsylvania in 1985. She later earned her MBA from the Stern School of Business at New York University in 1990.
Personal Life
Linda Yaccarino is married and has two children together. Her husband, Claude Peter Madrazo is a businessman. Her daughter, Christian, works as a pediatric nurse, and her son, Matthew is a sales executive. She keeps her personal life private and does not share much information about her family.
Body Measurements
| Height | 5 feet 5 inches or 165 cm |
| Body Build | Slim |
| Eye Color | Hazel |
| Hair Color | Dark Brown |
| Sexuality | Straight |
Career
After completing her MBA, Linda began her career in media at Turner, formerly Turner Broadcasting System when she joined the company in January 1992. She worked her way up through the ranks and eventually became the Executive Vice President of Ad Sales and Marketing for Turner Broadcasting. After working there for 19 years, she joined NBCUniversal in November 2011 as the President of Ad Sales.
During her time at NBCUniversal, Yaccarino oversaw the company’s advertising sales, marketing, and client partnerships. She was responsible for securing some of the biggest advertising deals in the company’s history, including the 2012 London Olympics and the 2014 Sochi Olympics. Yaccarino was also instrumental in launching NBCUniversal’s Audience Targeting Platform, which uses data and technology to improve ad targeting and measurement.
In 2018, Linda was promoted to Chairman of Advertising and Client Partnerships at NBCUniversal. In this role, she continued to drive growth and innovation in the company’s advertising business, while also overseeing partnerships with key clients.
In May 2023, Linda left NBCUniversal and was recruited by Elon Musk to succeed him as the CEO of Twitter and X Corp. She became the first CEO of the social media company after Elon acquired it in October 2022. She is also Twitter’s first female executive. She has been recognized for her contributions to the media industry.
Honors and Accomplishments
She was featured in The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment: Power 100 list from 2013 to 2015.
She has been featured in Cablefax’s Top 100 Executives multiple times.
Linda was named to Variety’s annual list of Power Women of New York in the past.
In 2011, she was named one of the Ten Most Powerful Women in TV by Adweek.
In 2017, she was included in Adweek’s annual list of Power 50 list.
She was inducted into Broadcasting and Cable’s Hall of Fame in September 2018.
In 2019, she was featured in Business Insider’s Top 100 People Transforming Business and Top 10 People Transforming Advertising.
In October 2020, she received Matrix Award from NYWICI, which honors women that are making a difference, building community, and inspiring the next generation of female leaders in their field.
Linda Yaccarino Net Worth
As of 2024, Linda Yaccarino’s net worth is estimated to be around $30 million.
Linda Yaccarino Facts
In 2018, she was named Adweek’s Media Executive of the Year.
She has been named to Forbes’ list of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Women multiple times and was inducted into the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame in 2019.
Linda was featured in Variety’s New York Women’s Impact Report in May 2022, and inVolve’s Top 100 Female Executive Heroes in September 2022.