Discord has announced the appointment of Humam Sakhnini as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective April 28, 2025. Sakhnini, formerly Vice Chairman at Activision Blizzard and President of King Digital Entertainment, brings over 15 years of experience in the gaming industry. His leadership is expected to guide Discord through its next phase of growth, focusing on gaming and new monetization strategies.
Co-founder Jason Citron, who led Discord since its inception in 2015, will transition to a role as Advisor to the CEO and remain on the Board of Directors. Citron expressed confidence in Sakhnini’s ability to lead the company into its next chapter, stating, “Passing the torch to Humam is the right evolution for Discord’s future.”
Sakhnini’s tenure at Activision Blizzard included overseeing major franchises such as Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, and Candy Crush. At King Digital Entertainment, he succeeded the founding CEO and led the company to record performance post-acquisition.
Discord, known for its voice, video, and text communication services, serves over 200 million monthly active users who spend more than 2 billion hours playing games each month. In 2024, the company refocused on its gaming roots and began exploring additional revenue streams, including advertising, micro-transactions, and providing social infrastructure to game developers.
The leadership change comes amid reports that Discord is exploring a potential initial public offering (IPO). Citron acknowledged that hiring Sakhnini is a step toward preparing the company for public markets.
Sakhnini expressed enthusiasm about joining Discord, stating, “I’m incredibly excited to join Discord at such a pivotal moment. Discord stands as a massive, foundational part of the gaming ecosystem that millions of players, developers, and publishers rely on every day.”
As Discord embarks on this new chapter under Sakhnini’s leadership, the company aims to balance its core mission of connecting gamers with the pursuit of sustainable growth and innovation in the evolving digital landscape.
