TikTok chief operating officer to step down

TikTok’s chief operating officer V Pappas will step down from their role with the company after five years, the video-sharing company confirmed.

In a company memo, obtained by The Hill, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew announced Pappas’s departure from the company, saying they will now focus instead on “entrepreneurial passions.” 

“I want to take this opportunity to thank V for their many contributions over the years,” Chew told employees in the memo, noting Pappas’s impact in the role. “Throughout their time at TikTok, they have been instrumental in growing the business, advocating for the company, elevating our product offerings and marketing campaigns, and fostering a positive community of creators and users.” 

“They have had a significant and lasting impact and we are truly grateful for their tireless efforts,” he added. “I know V is looking forward to this next phase in their career, and we wish them all the best in their new capacity and future endeavors.”

Pappas also confirmed the departure in a Twitter thread on Thursday, sharing the memo that was sent to company employees. 

“After nearly 5 years at TikTok I am stepping down as COO,” Pappas tweeted. “To our amazing community of creators, employees, & people who have made TikTok ‘the last sunny spot on the internet’, it has been an absolute privilege to serve you all & to be a part of this once in a lifetime journey.” 

Pappas is the second TikTok executive to step down recently, after Eric Han, the company’s head of trust and safety for the U.S., announced his departure last month, according to The Verge. 

TikTok, owned by Chinese-based company ByteDance, has drawn the ire of U.S. officials and lawmakers in the past few years, who have cited their concerns with the national security implications of the social media platform’s ownership and data privacy issues. 

Multiple state governments and Congress in recent months have introduced or implemented TikTok bans on government devices in response. Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte (R) signed legislation last month banning TikTok, becoming the first U.S. state to block public access to the app due to concerns about data privacy. 

The Biden administration also earlier this year demanded ByteDance sell its stake in the company, warning that the social media platform could risk a full ban in the U.S.

Chew, who has testified before Congress on the matter, has largely brushed off the bans, even calling Montana’s bill “simply unconstitutional.” In response, the social platform filed a lawsuit to challenge the ban, according to Bloomberg.

In his Thursday memo, the TikTok CEO announced that Adam Presser, the platform’s current chief of staff, will become the head of operations for the company. ​Zenia Mucha, who spent the last twenty years at Disney — will also become the company’s new chief brand and communications officer, he shared.