X product chief Nikita Bier departs after a year to take advisory role

Nikita Bier, X's head of product, announced that he is stepping down. He will transition into an advisory role, saying it was time to hand over the leadership and "demote" himself to his natural state as a "poster." The announcement came just over a month after he marked his first anniversary in the role, and only weeks after Elon Musk's combined SpaceX, X, and xAI ventures went public.

During Bier's tenure, he said almost every aspect of X was rebuilt. This included the timeline, Android app, chat, and notifications. He also pointed to the launch of X Money, a feature that had been delayed multiple times and which Musk had previously hoped to ship by the end of 2024. Under Bier, X intensified efforts to reward native posts and to require users to log in to access certain features.

However, Bier also raised concerns about the platform's direction. Last month, he remarked that gaps in X's algorithm data made the experience feel like a "battleground." His exit marks another leadership change at the company; he was appointed just days before former CEO Linda Yaccarino left her position. Throughout his time, Bier became a prominent public representative of X.

In the new structure, Benji Taylor will oversee design, Jonah Katz will lead iOS development, and Mridul Singhai will take over the product team. Bier previously co-founded the social apps tbh, which Meta acquired, and Gas, which Discord bought. His future plans are not detailed, but he will continue to support X in an advisory capacity.