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

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.
“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.”
