John Nitti, X’s global head of revenue operations and advertising innovation, left the social media platform on October 25, 2025, after 10 months in the role. His departure stems from frustrations among executives over Elon Musk’s unilateral decision-making on advertising strategies, as reported by the Financial Times.
Nitti’s exit highlights tensions within X, where executives have expressed growing dissatisfaction with Musk’s management approach. Sources indicate that Nitti and others became increasingly frustrated with Musk’s handling of the advertising business. This frustration centered on Musk’s practice of making key strategic decisions independently, without input from the leadership team responsible for revenue operations.
The resignation forms part of a broader pattern of senior-level departures at X and its parent company, xAI. X was acquired by Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI in March 2025. Following this acquisition, executive turnover intensified. In July 2025, former CEO Linda Yaccarino stepped down after serving two years in the position. Upon her resignation, her responsibilities were divided between John Nitti and Angela Zepeda, who serves as X’s global head of marketing.
Additional high-profile exits occurred in recent months. X’s Chief Financial Officer, Mahmoud Reza Banki, announced his departure in early October 2025, having held the role for less than one year. At xAI, Chief Financial Officer Mike Liberatore left after only three months on the job, while General Counsel Robert Keele also departed. These exits took place over the summer period from June to August 2025, contributing to perceptions of instability within the organization.
Executives’ frustrations have been exacerbated by specific instances of abrupt policy changes. In June 2025, Musk banned the use of hashtags in advertising campaigns. He described hashtags as an “aesthetic nightmare” and stated that advancements in artificial intelligence rendered them unnecessary. This decision was implemented without prior consultation with the advertising team, according to the Financial Times, further straining relations between Musk and his leadership.
X’s advertising operations have encountered substantial difficulties since Musk’s acquisition of the platform. Revenue experienced a sharp decline initially, as numerous major advertisers withdrew due to concerns regarding content moderation practices. Despite these challenges, X reported advertising revenue of approximately $707 million for the second quarter of 2025. This figure marked a 2.2 percent decline from the previous quarter, though it represented a 20 percent increase compared to the same quarter in the prior year.
In response to advertiser exodus, X pursued legal action against several prominent brands. The company filed lawsuits accusing Shell, Pinterest, Nestle, and Lego of participating in an “illegal boycott” orchestrated by the World Federation of Advertisers. The targeted companies have denied these allegations. Privately, some advertisers have reported feeling coerced into increasing their spending on the platform in the aftermath of the litigation.
Before his departure, Nitti had been considered a strong candidate to succeed Linda Yaccarino as CEO. Nitti brought extensive experience from previous roles at Verizon and American Express. His exit, alongside the other recent departures, points to persistent challenges at X. As Musk directs more attention toward AI development through xAI, the platform continues efforts to stabilize and reconstruct its advertising revenue streams.
