Former Activision Blizzard Vice Chairman Humam Sakhnini will assume the role of CEO at Discord, replacing the former CEO Jason Citron, who is taking on a board advisory role after over 10 years leading the company. The shift is set to be effective Monday, April 28.
“I’m incredibly excited to join Discord at such a pivotal moment,” said Sakhnini in a press release. “Discord stands as a massive, foundational part of the gaming ecosystem that millions of players, developers, and publishers rely on every day. What Jason and Discord co-founder and CTO Stan Vishnevskiy have built is truly remarkable — a platform with an undeniable product-market fit where hundreds of millions of people connect around their passion for gaming and shared interests.”
Discord currently serves more than 200 million users worldwide, and in 2024, the company refocused on its gaming roots and began pursuing opportunities beyond its core consumer subscription service, including advertising, micro-transactions, and “providing social infrastructure to game developers.”
“I look forward to working with Stan and Discord’s talented team to scale our business while staying true to the company’s core mission and the special connection it has with player communities,” Sakhnini continued. “We’re still at the beginning of gaming’s impact on entertainment and culture, and Discord is perfectly positioned to play a central role in that future.”
“Building Discord over the last decade has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life,” said Citron. “From the very beginning, our mission has been about bringing people together around games. It’s a mission I’ve dedicated my career to, and I’m confident that passing the torch to Humam is the right evolution for Discord’s future. His deep gaming industry expertise and proven track record of scaling businesses while fostering genuine friendships through play and shared experiences positions us perfectly for our next phase of growth. I believe this transition will accelerate our momentum and unlock even greater possibilities for Discord, our consumers, partners, and the overall gaming ecosystem in the years ahead.”
Sakhnini has over 15 years of experience at the gaming industry, and was serving as the President of King when Activision Blizzard acquired it in 2016. He steps in the role previously held by Citron, who founded the company alongside Stanislav Vishnevskiy and was the CEO since day one.
This news comes following reports of Discord preparing for an IPO, though a spokesperson refused to confirm these rumors at the time. Discord was last valued at $15 billion in 2021, after raising $500m in a funding round.
