NBCUniversal ad chief Linda Yaccarino resigns as sources say she’s in talks to be Twitter CEO

NBCUniversal global advertising chief Linda Yaccarino has resigned, the company said Friday.

The announcement comes a day after Elon Musk said via Twitter there would be a new CEO of the social media website, although he didn’t name the new person. Musk said in his tweet the person would start in about six weeks.

Yaccarino was in advanced talks for the role, CNBC’s Julia Boorstin reported, citing sources.

Yaccarino joined NBCUniversal in 2011 and had risen to the top of the company’s global advertising business. On Monday, the ad chief was slated to take part in NBCUniversal’s Upfront event at Radio City – the sales presentation the company, along with its media peers, make to the advertising industry every year in May.

The longtime ad executive brings a wealth of relationships with top chief marketing officers and other advertising executives to Twitter at a time when the platform has seen advertisers flee after Musk’s takeover last year.

Her exit from NBCUniversal comes weeks after Jeff Shell was ousted as the company’s CEO after admitting to an inappropriate relationship with an employee. Rather than replacing Shell, NBCUniversal’s top executives will report to parent company Comcast President Mike Cavanagh.

On Friday, NBCUniversal said Yaccarino would leave the company, effective immediately, and Mark Marshall, the current president of advertising sales and client partnerships would become interim chairman of the company’s advertising and partnerships group.

Marshall will report to Mark Lazarus, chairman of NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. Lazarus and Marshall are likely to take part in NBCUniversal’s Upfront presentation on Monday, CNBC’s David Faber and Julia Boorstin reported on Friday.

This story is developing. Please check back for updates.

Disclosure: NBCUniversal is the parent company of CNBC.