Sourav Choudhary TikTok appoints Khartoon Weiss as North America sales head following a string of leadership changes and a looming U.S. ban threat.
TikTok Reshuffles Leadership as U.S. Ban Looms
TikTok has appointed Khartoon Weiss to lead its North American ad sales, following a series of leadership changes and rising tensions over its future in the U.S. Weiss, who has been with the company for over four years, steps into the role left vacant by Samir Singh in February. She brings with her a wealth of experience from her time at Spotify and iHeartMedia, as TikTok navigates a precarious position in the region.
Her promotion comes at a critical juncture for the company, with TikTok facing significant pressure from U.S. lawmakers over concerns related to national security. The company’s Chinese parent, ByteDance, has until April 5 to either divest its U.S. operations or risk a nationwide ban. With millions of American users at stake, the stakes are higher than ever.
TikTok’s leadership shake-up has also seen the departure of Blake Chandlee, the global head of business solutions, who will leave the company on April 1. These changes follow ongoing uncertainty surrounding potential government action, with Oracle emerging as a key contender in talks to buy TikTok’s U.S. operations.
As the deadline nears, various companies, including the AI startup Perplexity, have expressed interest in acquiring TikTok, though no formal agreements have been made. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump has suggested the possibility of a “bidding war,” with the U.S. government potentially taking a stake in the company.
With the future of the platform hanging in the balance, TikTok’s new leadership will play a pivotal role in guiding the company through this challenging period.
