Twitter Promotes Product Exec Ahead of Lightning Launch

Janko Roettgers

Twitter has a new head of consumer products: Jeff Seibert, previously in charge of the company’s developer platform, is now in charge of Twitter’s apps and website. He will be reporting to Twitter’s SVP of product Kevin Weil, according to a Recode report that has since been confirmed by the company.

The promotion comes just weeks ahead of a big launch for Twitter: The company is getting ready to unveil a new curated Twitter experience that’s been code-named Project Lightning that is meant to offer a more photo-centric take on Twitter, allowing users to browse curated tweets and photos around major news events. A launch of the project could come as early as this month, according to some sources.

Twitter hopes that Project Lightning will help the company to recapture growth after its number of monthly active users essentially flatlined in recent months. The company also plans to launch a major advertising initiative later this year to reintroduce itself to the world.

At the same time, Twitter is finalizing its pick for a new, permanent CEO after the departure of longtime chief executive Dick Costolo at the end of June. Twitter’s board reportedly is meeting this Thursday to go over a list of candidates, but the company’s founder and interim CEO Jack Dorsey is widely believed to be the most likely candidate.

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