Passing the Torch

A message sent to Discord employees from CEO Jason Citron sharing his decision to transition out of the role and appoint Humam Sakhnini as the company's new chief executive.

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Hi everyone — I have some big news to share, so I’ll cut right to the chase: We have hired a new CEO to lead Discord through our next chapter of growth and someday becoming a public company. I am thrilled to share that Humam Sakhnini will take on this role, and I will continue as a member of our Board of Directors and Advisor to the CEO. Read on for the details.

Building Discord has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. From the very beginning, our mission has been about bringing people together around games. It’s a mission I’ve dedicated my career to, and seeing it come to life through all of you and the impact we’ve made together has been nothing short of extraordinary. I’ve learned more than I ever imagined I would and I’m deeply grateful for so many friendships, challenges, and achievements along the way.

As we enter our next phase, I’ve been reflecting on how I can best contribute to Discord’s long-term success. The job of a CEO is constantly evolving, and over the years I have continuously “hired myself out of a job.” Usually that means delegating work and then taking on different leadership challenges. However, as I look at what is needed of Discord’s CEO over the next few years, I realize that it’s time for me to literally “hire myself out of a job.” 

One thing I know for sure: our company is bigger than any one person. Its future depends not just on me, but on a strong leadership team, a clear vision for what comes next, and all of your incredible talent, care, and hard work. Today’s Discord has all of that. It’s by far the best version of the company we’ve ever had. We have a clear strategy, new business lines to grow into, love and passion from our users, and an incredible team of people working tirelessly to deliver for them.

From this position of strength, it feels like the right time to transition from CEO to Board Member and Advisor. So I am thrilled to welcome Humam Sakhnini as the next CEO of Discord. 

After spending significant time together, I have complete confidence in his ability to lead us into the future alongside Stan and the rest of our executive team. Humam brings more than 15 years of experience in the gaming industry, including at Activision Blizzard where he served as Chief Strategy Officer helping guide franchises like World of Warcraft and Call of Duty. He later took over from the founders of King to delight the players of their live service games while substantially growing the King business in the public market. 

Humam and I are fundamentally aligned that creating long-term value requires long-term thinking and focusing on an amazing user experience. I am excited for his collaborative approach to fostering a creative environment for you all to continue delivering for our customers. Humam’s first day will be on Monday, April 28, and I’ll continue to be around as he onboards and in the background to support him in an advisory capacity.

While my role will evolve as a board member and advisor, my commitment and love for Discord remains the same. I’ve always said that so many of my most precious memories are around games — and there are countless ones with so many of you. It’s too much to recount. But, I want to especially thank Stan for his partnership. It’s truly been an honor to bring Discord to the world together.

Thank you all for your dedication, belief, and hard work over the years. The stories we tell, the products we create, the programs we run — all of it — is the result of all of your passion and energy. You are what makes Discord what it is today because you give a shit about our customers and your craft. I believe this evolution sets us up for even greater success in the years to come. 

I’ll sign off with immense gratitude for our users and the hundreds of millions of people who choose Discord as the place to spend time and play games with their friends. It’s humbling to know how beloved our platform is and the importance of the work we do together to continue delighting our customers in new and exciting ways. 

Jason

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Read more on the announcement here