Discord gets a gamer-in-chief: Humam Sakhnini appointed as CEO amid IPO preparations

Amid rumors that the company is eyeing an IPO, Discord appointed former Activision Blizzard Vice Chairman Humam Sakhnini as CEO. Discord co-founder Jason Citron will leave his CEO role after 13 years at the company.

Discord straddles the gaming and social media spaces — despite its initial emergence as a platform for online multiplayer gamers to communicate, it has become a prominent social media platform in its own right, growing to over 200 million monthly active users.

The company’s choice to appoint a new CEO from within the gaming industry signals that it sees its future more so in gaming than in social networking. Discord noted in its press release that the company has “refocused on its gaming roots” to explore monetization opportunities in advertising and micro-transactions.

But advertising and micro-transactions aren’t exactly music to gamers’ ears. The appointment of Sakhnini, along with its impending IPO, may make fans wary that the company may move in a more corporate, profit-hungry direction. Sakhnini was also CEO of the Activision Blizzard-owned King, a mobile gaming developer that makes games like Candy Crush, which thrive on ads and micro-transactions.

Citron will remain involved with Discord as an advisor to the CEO and a member of the board of directors, but he told Venture Beat that he looks forward to taking a break after 13 years of running a rapidly growing startup and wants to play Final Fantasy VII Rebirth, Blue Prince, and Baldur’s Gate III.

Citron’s relationship with TechCrunch dates back some time. He made it to the finals stage of our famous annual Startup Battlefield competition inside Disrupt in 2013, where he pitched a multiplayer online battle arena game for the iPad that later struggled to make money. Two years later, he launched Discord.

‎ ‎

‎  ‎    ‎  ‎

‎

From Call of Duty to Candy Crush: Who’s Humam Sakhini

The new CEO is no stranger to the gaming world. Humam Sakhnini played a key role in turning Call of Duty into a global phenomenon, helping shape it into one of the most successful franchises in gaming history.

With over 15 years of industry experience, Sakhnini most recently served as Vice Chairman at Activision Blizzard, where he oversaw a multi-billion-dollar portfolio that included major titles like Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and Candy Crush.

Sakhnini was also the President of King Digital Entertainment before his days at Activision.

Jason Citron passes the torchlight 

Jason Citron, Discord’s founder and outgoing CEO, will continue to stay involved with the company as an advisor and board member. He expressed his confidence in Humam Sakhnini, who will now be stepping into the leadership role. Citron thanked the Discord community and team, reflecting on the journey so far and looking ahead to the platform’s next chapter.

“Building Discord has been one of the most meaningful and rewarding experiences of my life. What started as a simple idea—to help friends talk while playing games—has grown into something far bigger than I ever imagined,” he said in his X post.

About Discord 

Launched in 2015 by Jason Citron and Stanislav Vishnevskiy, Discord quickly became a game-changer in the world of social communication. Initially created to provide real-time voice and text chat for gamers, Discord allowed users to create their own private “servers” — customizable hubs where members can chat, collaborate, share news, or host video calls.

Discord’s growth skyrocketed during the pandemic, as gaming surged in popularity and more people turned to the platform for connection. In 2021, the company had discussions with Microsoft about a potential $10 billion acquisition, though a deal never materialized.

Beyond gaming, Discord has expanded its focus, with Citron even testifying before Congress on online child safety, alongside executives from Meta, TikTok, and X. While the platform’s premium subscription remains its main revenue stream, Discord has also tapped into advertising and microtransactions, further diversifying its income as it continues to evolve.