TikTok ad executive steps down as part of reorganisation
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US President Donald Trump had previously called for a sale that would let TikTok keep operating on American soil.
PHOTO: REUTERS
BEIJING – A TikTok executive responsible for its core advertising business is stepping aside as part of a reorganisation, the latest management change at the company facing an April 5 deadline to reach a US sale deal.
Blake Chandlee, who oversaw advertising sales and marketing globally, is moving to an advisory role, according to an internal memo seen by Bloomberg News. He first joined the social video leader in 2019 from Facebook, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Mr Chandlee’s global business solutions team will be merged with the global monetisation product technology team led by Will Liu, who will then oversee the combined group from April 1. AdWeek reported on Mr Chandlee’s move earlier.
In the memo, Mr Chandlee said the ByteDance-controlled short video platform achieved the fastest growing ad sales in the world outside of Douyin, TikTok’s sister service in China. TikTok is targeting 50 per cent growth in advertisements in 2025, according to Mr Chandlee.
TikTok representatives did not respond to requests for comment.
Before Mr Chandlee, at least eight other executives including music chief Ole Obermann had left TikTok or announced their departures since the beginning of 2025, business news site The Information previously reported.
US President Donald Trump issued an order on his first day in office delaying enforcement of a ban on TikTok until April 5, and he has called for a sale that would let TikTok keep operating on American soil.
Oracle Corp is weighing a proposal for a sale of TiKTok’s US operations that would have it provide security assurances and take a small stake in a new American entity while potentially leaving the app’s influential algorithm in Chinese hands, Bloomberg News has reported. BLOOMBERG
