Elon Musk’s Quest for a “Fire-Breathing Dragon” Twitter CEO

When Elon Musk took control of X (formerly Twitter) in a $44 billion deal last year, one of his initial decisions was to dismiss X’s top leadership, including then-CEO Parag Agrawal and others like Vijaya Gadde.

The Mystery Behind Musk’s Decision

Until recently, the reasons behind Elon Musk’s decision to part ways with Agrawal remained unclear. However, thanks to Musk’s biography, written by Walter Isaacson, it has been revealed that Musk sought a “fire-breathing dragon” as the Twitter CEO, and, per Musk, Parag Agrawal did not fit that role.

Elon Musk’s Upcoming Biography

Musk’s upcoming biography, titled ‘Elon Musk,’ is scheduled for release on September 12—the same day when the new iPhone 15 series launches. Authored by Walter Isaacson, the book delves into the life of the billionaire founder of numerous companies, including SpaceX, and his journey to acquire and manage X (Twitter).

Musk’s Opinion on Parag Agrawal

Musk is quoted as saying, “He is a really nice guy, but managers should not aim to be liked. What Twitter needs is a fire-breathing dragon, and Parag is not that.”

After becoming the new CEO of X in 2022 and assuming the role of ‘chief twit,’ Musk was critical of X’s efforts to restrict free speech on the platform. He even said that the ‘bird is freed’ following his acquisition of Twitter and the dismissal of Parag Agrawal and others.

Walter Isaacson’s Role

As for Walter Isaacson, his X account suggests that he has been accompanying Musk to the X headquarters for a while now. “At the Twitter headquarters’ coffee bar, ⁦@elonmusk⁩,” Isaacson posted on X on October 27, 2022. Since then, Isaacson has frequently shared content related to Musk on X. Notably, Walter Isaacson has also written biographies for other highly successful people, including Apple founder Steve Jobs.

Changing Leadership at X

Following the termination of Parag Agrawal, as mentioned earlier, Musk assumed the role of CEO at X and made a series of decisions, some controversial and others that were quite appreciated by users. And it was only in June that Musk appointed Linda Yaccarino, a former NBCUniversal executive, as the new CEO of X.