Less than four months after joining the video app, TikTok chief executive officer (CEO) Kevin Mayer resigned on Thursday amid pressure from the US government over its ties with China.
In a letter to employees, Mayer said his decision to leave comes after the ‘political environment has sharply changed’.
The app, which is owned by the Chinese internet company ByteDance, has been ordered by the White House to sell its US operations by mid-September.
“I have done significant reflection on what the corporate structural changes will require and what it means for the global role I signed up for,” he said in the letter, adding, “Against this backdrop, and as we expect to reach a resolution very soon, it is with a heavy heart that I wanted to let you all know that I have decided to leave the company.”
“We appreciate that the political dynamics of the last few months have significantly changed what the scope of Kevin’s role would be going forward and fully respect his decision. We thank him for his time at the company and wish him well,” TikTok said in a statement.
