WhatsApp's co-founder Brian Acton joins as Signal's interim CEO

On 10th January 2022, Moxie Marlinspike, Signal's Founder and Chief Executive Officer announced his plans to move on from his role as CEO of Signal. 

"I have now been working on Signal for almost a decade. It has always been my goal for Signal to grow and sustain beyond my involvement, but four years ago that would still not have been possible," Moxie wrote in his blog. 

"After a decade or more, it’s difficult to overstate how important Signal is to me, but I now feel very comfortable replacing myself as CEO based on the team we have, and also believe that it is an important step for expanding on Signal’s success," he added. 

Moxie will, however, remain on Signal's board. He has also begun scouting for candidates for the permanent CEO position. In the interim, WhatsApp's co-founder Brian Acton will lead the company. 

Acton founded Signal's rival messaging app WhatsApp in 2009 and left in 2017 due to differences around the use of customer data and targeted advertising, according to Signal's website.

"Brian Acton, who is also on the Signal Foundation board, has volunteered to serve as interim CEO during the search period. I have every confidence in his commitment to the mission and ability to facilitate the team for this time," said Moxie. 

Image Credit: Vox