Toni Schneider, the founding CEO of Automattic (parent company of WordPress and Tumblr), has transitioned from interim CEO to permanent chief executive of Bluesky.

Schneider, who took over after Jay Graber's departure in March 2026, announced the change in a blog post, emphasizing his commitment to the company's mission.His priorities include creating smaller, more private communities to drive growth and innovation.Bluesky, originally spun off from Twitter, faced challenges in retaining users amid declining engagement and a post-Trump re-election user drop.Under Graber, the platform reached 43 million users, but recent struggles have raised concerns about its viability.Schneider's role as a partner at True Ventures and his investment in Bluesky add to his stake in the company's future.The AT Protocol, Bluesky's underlying technology, has seen expansion but requires renewed focus to address user retention issues.Schneider's transition marks a pivotal moment for Bluesky as it navigates competitive social media landscapes.