TikTok appoints Disney’s Kevin Mayer as Chief Executive
By MYBRANDBOOK
Kevin Mayer, the top streaming Executive has stepped down from his position to become Chief Executive of TikTok, the app for making and sharing short videos that has exploded in popularity during the coronavirus pandemic.
He will also hold the position of Chief Operating Officer of ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok.
“I was happy with my job at Disney,” Mayer said. “The magnitude of this opportunity was just something I couldn’t pass up.” He cited gaming and music as two expansion possibilities. (He sounded considerably less eager to post TikToks of himself.)
TikTok has been downloaded around 1.9 billion times worldwide which includes 172 million downloads in the United States, according to Sensor Tower, an app data firm. The popularity of the app has increased during the pandemic.
That popularity has made TikTok by far the biggest digital success for a Chinese-owned company in the Western world. As a result, it has faced deep distrust across the U.S. government. Several government agencies, including nearly all branches of the military, have banned employees from downloading or using the app. In March, Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., proposed legislation to ban any federal employee from using it.
Both Republicans and Democrats have questioned the Chinese government’s influence over the app. Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader, and Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., co-wrote a letter to the director of national intelligence in October, requesting a review of the national-security implications of TikTok’s expanding influence.
Earlier, TikTok has also roped in a number of U.S. executives and employees to run its business and review content on its app. Vanessa Pappas, a former YouTube executive who joined TikTok as one of its American Chiefs last year.
Now Mayer will provide a clear link between TikTok and ByteDance’s leadership in Beijing, with his dual roles at the two companies.
Mayer joined Disney in 1993 before leaving in 2000 to run Playboy.com. He soon returned to Disney to work on Go.com, a web portal that eventually failed, and other Disney websites, including ESPN.com, before moving to strategic planning.
BREAKING NEWS
TECHNO TRENDS
Legal Battle Over IT Act Intensifies Amid Musk’s India Plans
The outcome of the legal dispute between X Corp and the Indian government c...
Wipro inks 10-year deal with Phoenix Group's ReAssure UK worth
The agreement, executed through Wipro and its 100% subsidiary,...
Centre announces that DPDP Rules nearing Finalisation by April
The government seeks to refine the rules for robust data protection, ensuri...
Home Ministry cracks down on PoS agents in digital arrest scam
Digital arrest scams are a growing cybercrime where victims are coerced or ...
E-Magazine
TECHNOTAINMENT
Hrithik Roshan to endorse RuPay as Brand Ambassador
RuPay is reportedly planning to feature Bollywood superstar Hrithik Rosha
India Today Group launches – AI Pop Stars
Staying true to our industry leadership position in using cutting-edge tech
MOVERS & SHAKERS
TelioLabs ropes in Phaniraj V A as the Group CEO
TelioLabs has announced the onboarding of Phaniraj V A as its new Group CE
Wipro Appoints Amit Kumar as Managing Partner and Global Head
Wipro Limited (NYSE: WIT, BSE: 507685, NSE: WIPRO), a leading technology s
OPEN YOUR EYES
INTERVIEWS
In India, 88% of Indian business leaders are planning to inves
As we move through 2024, it has become increasingly clear that AI is not ju
Alcatel-Lucent Enterprise Carrying a 100 year legacy ahead
A good amount of R&D works and global support services are operated out of
HOT PICK
MSI Announces the availability of RTX 50 series of laptops in
MSI, the innovative computing manufacturer in gaming, creator
Nothing Phone (3a) goes on sale today, starting at Rs 19,999
The phone was launched on March 4, featuring a 50MP main, ultra-wide, and t
MAKE IN INDIA BRANDS
POLYCAB INDIA PVT. LTD
QUICK HEAL TECHNOLOGIES PVT. LTD.
PDRL - Passenger Drone Research Pvt. Ltd.
DATA SAFEGUARD INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED
EMINENT CIO'S OF INDIA
ICONS OF INDIA
Icons Of India : Girish Mathrubootham
Girish Mathrubootham is the Founder of Freshworks (previously known ...
ICONS OF INDIA : SANDIP PATEL
Sandip Patel is the Managing Director for IBM India & South Asia regio...
ICONS OF INDIA : SANJAY NAYAR
Sanjay Nayar is a senior finance professional in the Indian private in...
PARTNER SPEAKERS
PSU
IREDA - Indian Renewable Energy Development Agency Limited
IREDA is a specialized financial institution in India that facilitates...
CERT-IN - Indian Computer Emergency Response Team
CERT-In is a national nodal agency for responding to computer security...
EESL - Energy Efficiency Services Limited
EESL is uniquely positioned in India’s energy sector to address ener...
VIDEOS
Top 25 Brands
Global Indian industry
Indian Tech Talent Excelling The Tech World - Steve Sanghi, Executive Chair, Microchip
Steve Sanghi, the Executive Chair of Microchip Technology, has been a ...
Indian Tech Talent Excelling The Tech World - Lal Karsanbhai, President & CEO, Emerson
Lal Karsanbhai, President and CEO of Emerson, assumed the leadership i...
Indian Tech Talent Excelling The Tech World - NIKESH ARORA, Chairman CEO - Palo Alto Networks
Nikesh Arora, the Chairman and CEO of Palo Alto Networks, is steering ...
ITFORUM 2025
CMO of the Year
WOMEN LEADERSHIP
IMAGE GALLERY
TRENDS IN TECHNOLOGY
MORE VIDEOS
ADVERTISEMENTS
TECHNOLOGY DISRUPTION
UNICORNS REVOLUTIONISING
of images belongs to the respective copyright holders
