V Pappas

V Pappas
Pappas in 2022
Born
Vanessa Pappas

1978 or 1979 (age 45–46)
Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
Alma mater
Board member of
Children2

V Pappas (born c. 1978), also known as Vanessa Pappas,[1] is an Australian-American businessperson who was the chief operating officer (COO) at TikTok. Pappas previously held executive positions at Next New Networks and YouTube, and has served on the board of directors of Simon & Schuster and the board of trustees of the Paley Center for Media.

Early life and education

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Vanessa Pappas was born in 1978 or 1979[2] in Darwin, Northern Territory, and raised in Brisbane, Queensland.[3] Their father is Greek.[4] After receiving their first computer at approximately age 10–12, Pappas realized the potential for online communities and began learning basic coding in high school.[5][6]

They lived in Australia until the age of 20.[4] They earned Master of Arts degrees in media from the University of Queensland in Brisbane and The New School in New York City,[7] graduating from the latter in 2007.[8]

Career

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Early in their career, Pappas was the director of entertainment programming for Next New Networks, starting in 2007. The company was acquired by YouTube in 2011. Pappas became YouTube's first head of audience development, and later the global head of creative insights.[6][9] They also created the YouTube Creator Playbook,[10][11] described as a blueprint for how to be successful on YouTube.[6] Pappas was with YouTube for approximately eight years.[12]

Pappas was recruited to run TikTok in the U.S. in 2018 and worked at the platform for approximately five years.[13] They first joined the parent company ByteDance as a strategic advisor,[9] and became TikTok's general manager for the U.S. one month later.[12] In July 2019, Pappas was promoted to the role of general manager for North America, Australia, and New Zealand.[12] Pappas was appointed TikTok's interim global head in August 2020, taking over the lead role at the company after U.S. President Donald Trump had issued an executive order to ban TikTok.[2] Pappas was a vocal opponent against the threat of the ban.[14][15] In 2021, Pappas was appointed chief operating officer (COO),[16] a role Pappas held until they stepped down in 2023.[1][17] During their tenure, Pappas was seen as a public face for TikTok in the U.S.,[1] and represented the company at a U.S. Senate hearing in late 2022.[9][18] They also helped launch TikTok's Content Advisory Council and Creator Diversity Collective to address issues related to online safety and diversity, respectively.[19][20] Pappas continued to advise TikTok after resigning from the role of COO.[21]

Recognition

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Pappas was included in Bloomberg's 50 Most Influential list in 2021,[22][23] as well as Vogue Australia's list of 21 "Australian women who defined 2021".[24] They were also named Digital Executive of the Year by Adweek in 2021,[12] and included in Fortune's 2022 list of the most powerful women.[25] Pappas was included in Los Angeles Business Journal's LA500 list in 2022 and 2023,[26][27] and ranked second on Fast Company's Queer 50 list of "LGBTQ women and nonbinary innovators in business and tech".[28]

Board service

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Pappas has served on the board of directors of Simon & Schuster,[29][30] as well as the board of trustees of the Paley Center for Media.[31][32]

Personal life

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After leaving Australia, Pappas lived in London, England, for four years, then moved to the U.S. They lived in New York City while working at YouTube, and relocated to Los Angeles to work for TikTok.[4]

Pappas identifies as "being both a woman and non-binary".[17] They came out as non-binary in 2023,[9] and use the pronouns they/them and she/her.[33] Pappas is pansexual and married with two children.[6][17]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c Fung, Brian (June 22, 2023). "Top TikTok exec and public face of company in US is stepping down". CNN. Archived from the original on July 2, 2023. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Isaac, Mike; Lorenz, Taylor (September 11, 2020). "The Woman Taking Over TikTok at the Toughest Time". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 29, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  3. ^ "TikTok chief operating officer V Pappas steps down after five years". The Guardian. June 22, 2023. Archived from the original on July 3, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c DiTrolio, Megan (August 11, 2020). "The Reigning Queen of TikTok". Marie Claire. Archived from the original on November 29, 2023. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  5. ^ Sier, Jessica (March 24, 2023). "TikTok's COO is an Aussie success story (who happens to be non-binary)". Australian Financial Review. Archived from the original on June 29, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d Radloff, Jessica (November 22, 2021). "How TikTok COO Vanessa Pappas Manages One of the Most Influential Jobs in the World". Glamour. Archived from the original on June 29, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  7. ^ Spangler, Todd (August 4, 2020). "TikTok North America GM Says the App Doesn't Operate in China, but That Doesn't Change Anything About Its U.S.-Mandated Sale". Variety. Archived from the original on June 29, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  8. ^ "Vanessa Pappas". The New School. Archived from the original on 2023-11-03. Retrieved 2024-06-29.
  9. ^ a b c d Hatmaker, Tayor (June 22, 2023). "TikTok's COO is leaving their role at the company". TechCrunch. Archived from the original on June 29, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  10. ^ Yurieff, Kaya (January 4, 2021). "She was promoted just in time to lead TikTok through a 'Category 5 storm'". CNN. Archived from the original on June 29, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  11. ^ Leskin, Paige (September 23, 2020). "Under Vanessa Pappas, TikTok could go from political nightmare to a powerhouse focused on investing in creators". Business Insider. Archived from the original on June 29, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  12. ^ a b c d Cohen, David (October 24, 2021). "How TikTok's Vanessa Pappas Pushed the Platform Not Just to Survive, but to Thrive". Adweek. Archived from the original on July 3, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  13. ^ "TikTok COO Pappas quits after five years in the role". Reuters. June 22, 2023. Archived from the original on 2023-06-29. Retrieved 2024-06-29.
  14. ^ "TikTok: US general manager Pappas says app 'here for the long run'". BBC News. August 1, 2020. Archived from the original on April 18, 2023. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  15. ^ Banjo, Shelly (August 21, 2020). "TikTok's U.S. Chief Says Video Site Will Stay Despite Trump Ban". Bloomberg.com. Archived from the original on 2024-07-03. Retrieved 2024-06-29.
  16. ^ Spangler, Todd (April 30, 2021). "TikTok Names New CEO and Chief Operating Officer". Variety. Archived from the original on May 30, 2023. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  17. ^ a b c Lavietes, Matt (February 7, 2023). "TikTok executive comes out as nonbinary". NBC News. Archived from the original on June 29, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  18. ^ Fung, Brian (September 14, 2022). "TikTok won't commit to stopping US data flows to China". CNN. Archived from the original on May 18, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  19. ^ Cohen, David (March 18, 2020). "TikTok Introduces Its Content Advisory Council". Adweek. Archived from the original on July 3, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  20. ^ Cohen, David (June 25, 2020). "TikTok Forms Creator Diversity Collective". Adweek. Archived from the original on June 29, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  21. ^ Barinka, Alex; Palmeri, Christopher (June 22, 2023). "TikTok COO Pappas Steps Down". Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on June 29, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024 – via Time.
  22. ^ Wagner, Kurt (December 1, 2021). "Vanessa Pappas, TikTok's Steady Hand". Bloomberg News. Archived from the original on 2022-07-05. Retrieved 2024-06-29.
  23. ^ "Two Greeks on the 'Bloomberg 50' – TikTok's Vanessa Pappas tops the list". Neos Kosmos. December 2, 2021. Archived from the original on June 29, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  24. ^ "21 Australian women who defined 2021". Vogue Australia. December 15, 2021. Archived from the original on October 26, 2023. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  25. ^ "Most Powerful Women: Vanessa Pappas". Fortune. Archived from the original on 2023-07-05. Retrieved 2024-06-29.
  26. ^ "LA500 2022: Vanessa Pappas". Los Angeles Business Journal. June 20, 2022. Archived from the original on June 29, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  27. ^ "LA500 2023: Vanessa Pappas". Los Angeles Business Journal. June 5, 2023. Archived from the original on June 29, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  28. ^ "Fast Company's 2023 Queer 50". Fast Company. Archived from the original on 2024-06-30. Retrieved 2024-06-29.
  29. ^ Goldsmith, Jill (December 7, 2023). "Kareem Daniel Resurfaces On Simon & Schuster Board, With Former TikTok COO V Pappas". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 16, 2023. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  30. ^ Harris, Elizabeth A. (December 7, 2023). "Simon & Schuster Board Comes From Books, Disney and TikTok". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 3, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024. V Pappas, another board member, has experience in a different aspect of book selling: social media. Mx. Pappas was the chief operating officer at TikTok, which has become enormously important in the industry.
  31. ^ Goldsmith, Jill (May 29, 2024). "Paley Center Names WME's Christian Muirhead, Banijay Americas' Ben Samek To LA Board; AMC Networks' Kristin Dolan New Trustee". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 30, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
  32. ^ "Board of Trustees". Paley Center for Media. 11 July 2023. Archived from the original on 29 June 2024. Retrieved 29 June 2024.
  33. ^ Perry, Sophie (February 7, 2023). "TikTok COO comes out as non-binary with powerful message of 'celebrating difference'". PinkNews. Archived from the original on April 9, 2024. Retrieved June 29, 2024.
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