Moxie Marlinspike at the TechCrunch Disrupt conference in September 2017.
Steve Jennings/Getty Images for TechCrunch
Signal, the encrypted-messaging app, is on the lookout for a new CEO after Moxie Marlinspike said Monday he’s stepping down. After leading the company for almost a decade, Marlinspike says now is a good time to find a replacement.
“I now feel very comfortable replacing myself as CEO based on the team we have, and also believe that it is an important step for expanding on Signal’s success,” Marlinspike said in a blog post.
The interim CEO for Signal will be Brian Acton, who is on the Signal Foundation board, and the leadership transition will take place over the next month. Marlinspike will also stay on the board as the company searches for a new CEO, and will be talking to possible candidates.
Signal debuted in 2014, but it shot up in popularity last year following a tweet from Elon Musk recommending the app. Users can send text, video and audio via the app with end-to-end encryption similar to WhatsApp and Telegram.