Discord’s Leadership Shift: A Strategic Move Towards IPO?

Discord’s co-founder Jason Citron steps down as CEO, making way for Humam Sakhnini, a move that hints at the company’s preparation for an IPO.

In a move that’s got everyone whispering ‘IPO incoming’, Discord’s own Jason Citron is handing over the CEO reins to Humam Sakhnini. This guy’s no stranger to the big leagues, with a resume that includes stints at Activision Blizzard and King Digital. But don’t worry, Citron isn’t going anywhere—just shifting to the board to keep an eye on the grand vision of uniting gamers across the globe. With Discord now rocking a whopping 200 million monthly active users, let’s be real: it’s not just an app anymore, it’s a cultural phenomenon.

So why Sakhnini? If you’re playing the long game towards an IPO, you want someone who’s been there, done that, and got the t-shirt. Sakhnini’s track record, especially steering King Digital after the Activision Blizzard buyout, is pretty much the perfect fit. And Citron’s not-so-subtle hint about going public? ‘Bringing someone like Humam on board is a step in that direction.’ Yeah, we see what you did there.

Flashback to when Microsoft was this close to snapping up Discord for a cool $10 billion. That might not have panned out, but Discord’s tight-knit partnerships with Xbox and PlayStation? Still going strong. Now, with Sakhnini calling the shots, it’s pretty obvious where Discord’s headed next. Public markets, brace yourselves.