X’s Ad Chief Exits Amid Executive Exodus from Musk’s Empire

Another Key Executive Departs

X’s advertising leadership team has suffered another significant blow with the departure of John Nitti, who served as global head of revenue operations and advertising innovation. According to sources familiar with the matter, Nitti left the company on Friday after just ten months in the role—a surprisingly brief tenure for an executive once seen as potential CEO material.

Nitti’s exit represents the latest in what appears to be an ongoing wave of senior departures across Elon Musk‘s business empire. The timing is particularly notable given that he was reportedly among the executives considered to replace former CEO Linda Yaccarino, who resigned in July after two years leading the social media platform.

Growing Pattern of Executive Turnover

This isn’t an isolated incident. Industry observers have noted a concerning pattern of rapid executive turnover since Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI took control of the business in March. The financial leadership ranks have been particularly unstable—xAI’s own CFO Mike Liberatore departed after just three months this summer, soon followed by general counsel Robert Keele. Then in early October, X’s chief financial officer Mahmoud Reza Banki announced his exit after less than a year, according to earlier Financial Times reporting.

What’s driving this exodus? Multiple sources indicate frustration among executives with Musk’s sudden strategic pivots and the difficulty of executing their own objectives given the billionaire’s famously hands-on management style. For advertising leaders specifically, the pressure has been intense to boost revenues as Musk spends billions on infrastructure and chips in the race to develop advanced artificial intelligence capable of competing with OpenAI and Google’s DeepMind.

Advertising Challenges Mount

The advertising division has faced particularly complex challenges under Musk’s ownership. On one hand, the company has been working to rebuild advertiser confidence after Musk’s controversial decision to relax content moderation standards—a move he framed as supporting free speech ideals but that alienated many major brands. His blunt response to concerned marketers didn’t help matters either, with the billionaire famously telling those who disagreed with his approach to “go fuck” themselves.

Meanwhile, there are signs of tension in how the advertising business is being managed. Since summer, according to two people familiar with the matter, Musk began making unilateral decisions around advertising without consulting the advertising leadership team. One particularly frustrating move for some advertisers was the sudden ban on hashtags in advertising on X—a decision that reportedly caught the advertising team off guard.

Mixed Signals in Recovery Efforts

X has been fighting to win back advertiser trust through various initiatives. The company has reportedly persuaded some brands to return to the platform and recently secured media partnerships with major companies like Disney. Internal communications seen by the FT indicate the company has been telling brands that its advertising metrics are improving thanks to xAI’s technology.

Yet these efforts appear complicated by other actions. Some advertisers have privately expressed concern about feeling pressured to spend on X after the platform sued several brands including Shell and Pinterest for allegedly undertaking an “illegal boycott”—claims the companies deny. For advertising veterans like Nitti, who previously held executive roles at Verizon, this environment reportedly became increasingly difficult to navigate.

Leadership Reshuffle Continues

As established executives depart, Musk is bringing in new leadership with different backgrounds. Earlier this month, xAI and X appointed Anthony Armstrong as xAI’s new chief financial officer. Armstrong previously served as a Morgan Stanley banker who advised on Musk’s $44 billion acquisition of the platform formerly known as Twitter.

The broader question for industry watchers is whether this pattern of executive turnover reflects growing pains during a transformational period or something more fundamental about the challenges of working within Musk’s increasingly complex business ecosystem. With each departure, the company loses institutional knowledge and relationship capital—particularly valuable commodities in the relationship-driven world of advertising sales.

What remains clear is that the executive suite at X continues to resemble a revolving door, creating ongoing uncertainty for both employees and the advertising partners crucial to the platform’s financial future. As Musk pushes forward with his ambitious AI ambitions, the stability of his leadership teams across various ventures will be closely watched by investors and industry analysts alike.