TikTok Shake-Up: COO V Pappas to Step Down, Ex-Disney Exec Zenia Mucha to Lead Comms

J. Clara Chan
·2 min read
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TikTok’s chief operating officer, V. Pappas, is stepping down as part of a major leadership shake-up at the social media giant, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew told staff Thursday.

As part of the changes, longtime Disney executive Zenia Mucha will join TikTok as its chief brand and communications officer, while TikTok’s chief of staff, Adam Presser, will now lead operations, Chew said.

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Pappas joined TikTok as a general manager for the U.S. in 2018 before rising in the ranks to lead the company as its interim chief executive and, most recently, its COO. They will serve as a strategic adviser to TikTok but will exit to pursue their other “entrepreneurial passions,” Pappas said in a separate email to staff.

“Given all the successes reached at TikTok, I finally feel the time is right to move on and refocus on my entrepreneurial passions,” Pappas wrote. “I know the company has a very bright and stable future under the strong leadership of Shou Chew and our executive team, I will be here to support him, the leadership team and all of you during this transition by taking on an advisory role for the company.”

The executive will be leaving as the company continues to face threats of a ban in the U.S., where Montana in May became the first state to ban the app. (TikTok has sued Montana over the legislation, claiming that the law violates the First Amendment by “unconstitutionally shutting down the forum for speech for all speakers on the app.”)

Chew was also grilled by members of Congress in March over alleged national security risks. During that time, Mucha was part of the team helping to advise TikTok and its CEO against the ban efforts, according to The Wall Street Journal.

In his note to staff, Chew acknowledged Mucha’s role as a consultant for TikTok over the “last few months,” noting that he had “greatly benefited from her counsel and perspective.

“She has tremendous instincts and has a strong vision for how best to grow and support the business. She and I agree that in the spirit of Always Day 1, it is essential that we widen the aperture of our Marketing and Communications functions to further fortify TikTok as a beloved brand and one of the most trusted entertainment platforms in the world,” Chew wrote. “With Zenia’s vast expertise and deep experience, we are well positioned to do so effectively.”

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