Discord appoints Humam Sakhnini as CEO amid IPO preparation and gaming strategy shift
Discord has named Humam Sakhnini, former Vice Chairman of Activision Blizzard, as its new CEO, the company announced on April 23. The leadership transition comes as the platform is reportedly preparing for a potential initial public offering.
Sakhnini, who also previously led mobile gaming company King—maker of Candy Crush—brings significant experience from the gaming industry. His appointment reflects Discord's strategic shift back to its gaming roots, a move the company emphasised in its official press release. Originally popular among gamers, Discord has grown into a full-fledged social platform with over 200 million monthly active users—a scale that now drives its push toward monetization.
Jason Citron, Discord's co-founder and CEO for the past 13 years, will step down from his executive role but remain involved as a board member and advisor. In a statement to VentureBeat, Citron said he looks forward to a break after years of building the company and hopes to spend time gaming, naming Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Blue Prince, and Baldur's Gate III as titles on his list.
Discord's recent focus on advertising and micro-transactions as revenue streams has raised eyebrows among its core user base. Given Sakhnini's background in mobile gaming—an industry heavily reliant on such monetization strategies—some longtime Discord users may worry about a shift toward more corporate, profit-driven practices.
Citron's connection with TechCrunch dates back to 2013, when he was a finalist at its Startup Battlefield competition. Although his multiplayer iPad game didn't achieve commercial success, it eventually led to the founding of Discord in 2015.
Sakhnini's appointment signals Discord's intention to double down on its gaming identity as it prepares for a new era—potentially as a publicly traded company.
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