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Leadership

CEOs learn to fly: Our favorite corporate fledgling tweets

By
Polina Marinova
Polina Marinova
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By
Polina Marinova
Polina Marinova
Down Arrow Button Icon
March 21, 2015, 7:00 AM ET
Twitter
ARCHIV - Ein Twitter-Aufsteller in Form eines Vogels steht am 08.05.2014 während der Konferenz «re:publica 14» in einer Ausstellungshalle in Berlin. Photo by: Christoph Schmidt/picture-alliance/dpa/AP ImagesPhotograph by Christoph Schmidt/picture-alliance/dpa/AP

Twitter turns nine years old today. To mark the occasion, we decided to look back at the Twitter debut of some of the most powerful CEOs. How did they use their first 140 characters on the social network?

Some were confused, others were eager to learn. And if you’re Warren Buffett, all you had to do was announce your arrival – even if you were seven years late to the party.

Here’s how 11 CEOs entered the Twitterverse:

Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett has (finally) arrived.

Warren is in the house.

— Warren Buffett (@WarrenBuffett) May 2, 2013

And Uber CEO Travis Kalanick had the same idea.

What's up…tbone in the house!!

— travis kalanick (@travisk) October 27, 2007

Intel CEO Brian Krzanich just wanted to tell someone named Josh that he had joined Twitter.

Hi Josh
I am now on twitter

— Brian Krzanich (@bkrunner) February 11, 2011

Others were slightly confused. We’re not sure what eBay CEO John Donahoe was approving with his first tweet.

https://twitter.com/Donahoe_John/status/9376731137

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky literally had nothing to say.

nothing

— Brian Chesky (@bchesky) January 31, 2008

Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer was a little more eloquent.

Discovered the American Visionary Arts Museum in Baltimore — extremely cool in terms of art and its philosophies (http://www.avam.org/)

— marissamayer (@marissamayer) July 21, 2009

And Tesla CEO Elon Musk had to clarify some things before he started tweeting.

Please ignore prior tweets, as that was someone pretending to be me :) This is actually me.

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 4, 2010

We also learned a few things. For example, T-Mobile CEO John Legere hearts New York.

First day on twitter.. In NYC today.. Ran in Central Park..100 degrees! I love NYC

— John Legere (@JohnLegere) July 6, 2013

So does Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino.

Just back from NY- Nickleback… good 2b home

— Michael Rapino (@Michael_Rapino) March 8, 2009

Thanks to Twitter, we now know exactly what Hootsuite CEO Ryan Holmes was doing on March 5, 2007 at 7:12 p.m.

Brewing coffee

— Ryan Holmes (@invoker) March 6, 2007

And before launching Instagram, CEO Kevin Systrom had some time to sip on tea.

Sitting with jack and Noah sipping on a tea

— Kevin Systrom (@kevin) June 29, 2006

About the Author
By Polina Marinova
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