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TikTok COO Pappas, who defended firm against China fears, quits after 5 years at ByteDance-owned firm

  • V Pappas, who joined TikTok in 2018 as general manager and was promoted to interim head in 2020, says she wants focus on ‘entrepreneurial passions’
  • TikTok’s chief of staff Adam Presser will become the company’s head of operations, CEO Chew Shou Zi announced

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TikTok COO V Pappas testifies before a US Senate committee hearing on social media’s impact on homeland security in September 2022. Photo: EPA-EFE
TikTok’s chief operating officer, V Pappas, is leaving the popular social media platform after nearly five years at the company.

In a note sent to employees Thursday morning and later shared on Twitter, Pappas, who uses she/her and they/them pronouns, said now that the company has achieved a lot of success, she felt it was the right time to move on and focus on “entrepreneurial passions”.

TikTok CEO Chew Shou Zi said in a note sent to employees that Pappas, one of the company’s most public faces, will continue to serve as a strategic adviser.

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“I want to take this opportunity to thank V for their many contributions over the years,” Chew wrote. “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.”

02:32

US lawmakers grill TikTok CEO on app’s alleged ties to Chinese Communist Party

US lawmakers grill TikTok CEO on app’s alleged ties to Chinese Communist Party
Pappas joined TikTok in 2018 as general manager and was promoted to interim head in 2020 when then-CEO Kevin Mayer left the company just after three months in the role. The former YouTube official assumed the COO role the following year, and has testified on Capitol Hill and appeared in media interviews offering a full-throated defence of the company, which has been under scrutiny by lawmakers concerned about its Chinese origins.
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