Bluesky Names Toni Schneider Permanent CEO

Bluesky has appointed Toni Schneider as its permanent CEO, ending his interim role that began in March 2026.

Schneider, the founding CEO of Automattic (the company behind WordPress and Tumblr) and a partner at venture capital firm True Ventures, succeeds Jay Graber, who stepped down to become Bluesky’s chief innovation officer. Both Automattic and True Ventures are investors in Bluesky.

In a blog post, Schneider stated he is “all in” as the platform’s official CEO. He identified creating smaller spaces and more private communities as a priority to drive the next phase of growth and innovation.

Bluesky, originally developed as a decentralized alternative to Twitter (now X), experienced significant user growth following Donald Trump’s re-election in 2024, reaching 43 million users under Graber’s leadership. The platform’s underlying AT Protocol enables interoperability with other apps on the same network.

However, recent reports indicate challenges in maintaining user engagement and growth. Some observers have noted a post-election drop-off in activity, raising questions about the platform’s long-term trajectory in a competitive social media landscape.

Schneider’s appointment comes as Bluesky seeks to stabilize and expand its user base. His background in open-source platforms and scaling web services is expected to influence the company’s product direction, particularly around community features and decentralization.