Jason Citron, CEO and co-founder of Discord, has announced he is stepping down from his leadership role at the popular chat platform. Replacing him is Humam Sakhnini, a seasoned executive with a strong background at Activision Blizzard and King Digital—best known for the hit game Candy Crush.
Although stepping away from daily operations, Citron will remain on Discord’s board of directors, while fellow co-founder Stanislav Vishnevskiy will continue in his current role as Chief Technology Officer.
“From the very beginning, our mission has been about bringing people together around games,” Citron said in a statement. “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.”
Originally built as a tool for gamers to connect before, during, and after gameplay, Discord has evolved into a mainstream social platform, now serving over 200 million monthly active users worldwide.
A Strategic Shift Toward Going Public?
Citron’s departure comes amid growing speculation about Discord’s financial future. According to a March report by The New York Times, the company has been engaging with investors as it explores plans to go public.
Sakhnini’s appointment appears to align with that vision. With a track record of leading publicly traded companies and overseeing billion-dollar acquisitions, his leadership could be pivotal in guiding Discord through a successful IPO.
When asked about the possibility of going public, Citron didn’t confirm—but he hinted strongly at the strategic nature of the move.
“As you can imagine, hiring someone like Humam is a step in that direction,” he told GamesBeat.
Big Tech Interest and Missed Acquisitions
Discord’s rise has not gone unnoticed by major tech players. The company was reportedly in acquisition talks with Microsoft in recent years, with a rumored $10 billion deal on the table. While that deal ultimately fell through, Discord still secured integration with both Xbox and PlayStation platforms, further cementing its status as a cross-platform powerhouse in gaming and beyond.
