• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Why did a $154 billion CEO just endorse stripping most Americans of voting rights—and taking us back to the 19th century?

2

New York City women are making up to $30,000 per month by renting out their closets to strangers

3

A Nobel economist challenged Elon Musk to donate his entire $1T fortune by 2036. Musk's reply: 'I am actually going to do something along these lines'

1

Why did a $154 billion CEO just endorse stripping most Americans of voting rights—and taking us back to the 19th century?

2

New York City women are making up to $30,000 per month by renting out their closets to strangers

3

A Nobel economist challenged Elon Musk to donate his entire $1T fortune by 2036. Musk's reply: 'I am actually going to do something along these lines'
TechHootSuite

Hootsuite’s new CEO has some thoughts about Facebook’s advertiser rebellion

By
Danielle Abril
Danielle Abril
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Danielle Abril
Danielle Abril
Down Arrow Button Icon
June 29, 2020, 12:45 PM ET
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Hootsuite, a tool that helps companies manage their social media accounts, has tapped a top executive from Zendesk as its CEO.

Tom Keiser, formerly chief operating officer at customer service software maker Zendesk, will take the top position at Hootsuite on July 6. His appointment comes after Hootsuite founder Ryan Holmes announced plans late last year to step down. Holmes, who led the company for 12 years, will remain as chairman.

In an interview with Fortune, Keiser said because of the global pandemic, he’s unable to visit Hootsuite’s Vancouver headquarters. But he said that its business is strong because more companies are trying to reach their customers at home through social media and need tools like Hootsuite to do it well.

“If you look at the space Hootsuite is in, social media and businesses trying to communicate to consumers on digital platforms, the growth is significant,” he said.

Keiser explained his vision for the company and addressed the current hot-button issues facing social media. His responses have been edited for brevity and clarity.

Fortune: Tell us about your vision for Hootsuite.

Tom Keiser: The company has really good solid history. It’s a $200 million business and has a really nice growth arch. There’s a lot more growth in this space as social media and social commerce has moved into the mainstream for businesses. There’s tremendous opportunity. My focus will be on making sure a foundation is in place to be able to run down different growth paths. If we can focus on growth and build a great company, it’ll become clear if there is a trajectory to an IPO or if there is another path. But we’re in no rush. It’ll become clear as we get into the next 12 to 18 months. 

Facebook tightened its policies on hate speech and ads on Friday to quell a growing boycott by advertisers. What’s your opinion about Facebook’s response to the pressure?

I think of it very positively. What we’re going through right now is a compounding set of events, but it’s causing all companies to step back and take a firmer stand on what they believe in and get past sloganeering. Employees and customers are pushing companies. It’s super healthy that it’s happening. There’s change coming to social platforms from the regulatory side, but better changes will come from rising expectations from people on those platforms. 

Why do you think companies are joining the boycott?

Companies want to communicate in a way that’s authentic and trust that their communications are reaching their targeted audiences. They want to trust that that’s happening in an environment that’s safe for their brand and customers. The expectation is these platforms become more than just a big snowball fight—a place where things are happening, and people can trust the communications on them.

Is this boycott really going to change anything meaningful at Facebook?

Facebook’s getting hit in the pocketbook. They’re being shamed in some cases by some competitors, and they’re getting pushed by advertisers to make changes. So if they’re not listening they’re going to be in trouble. They have to be listening. The question is, Are they going take a more aggressive set of actions or just react to the pressure points? What happens at the end of this boycott? Every company is going to have to make a decision. We’re in a super interesting time. It will lead to clear positions from companies on who they are, who they want to do business with, and how they’re doing business. 

What would you do if you were Mark Zuckerberg?

He has tremendous talent around him, and he’s going to have to leverage that talent. They have been very non-positional, but they’re going to have to take positions or they’re going to feel the wrath. The government is coming, and it’s going to be messy and expensive, so they’re going to have to take some positions to get in front of that. The next five months are going to be a zoo on these platforms. We’re at that white-hot moment. 

Has Twitter done a better job in handling hate speech and misinformation?

They’ve taken some stands and are putting some policies in place trying to take a stronger position. I don’t know if it’s better, but they’ve had the courage to take the first steps. 

What needs to happen on Facebook and Twitter?

I think it’s having standards and enforcing them. And just making sure they’re super clear for individuals and for businesses. Think about who’s actually on your platform and have a little more control of that as well. These platforms are overrun with bots that aren’t contributing too much other than discord. 

What’s your expectation for the regulation of social media?

We’re in for such an unpredictable next six months to a year on all things government that it’s going to be hard to get much done, quite frankly. Then a lot potentially will get done. I don’t think anything will happen until after the presidential race. 

About the Author
By Danielle Abril
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in Tech

A smartphone displaying the logo of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (BNY) in front of a BNY brand background.
AICFO Daily
BNY skipped the ‘tokenmaxxing’ craze. Here’s what AI metrics it tracks instead
By Sheryl EstradaJuly 28, 2026
4 hours ago
Greg Brockman on the week two OpenAI AI models went rogue
NewslettersTerm Sheet
Greg Brockman on the week two OpenAI AI models went rogue
By Allie GarfinkleJuly 28, 2026
4 hours ago
A Kirin 9000s chip fabricated in China by Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC), taken from a Huawei Technologies Co. Mate 60 Pro smartphone, photographed on Sept. 3, 2023. (Photo: James Park/Bloomberg/Getty Images)
NewslettersFortune Tech
A Chinese firm has begun manufacturing chipmaking machines, putting ASML and the world on notice
By Andrew NuscaJuly 28, 2026
4 hours ago
No. 1 on the Fortune Global 500: Amazon’s Jeff Bezos on how his garage startup became the largest company in the world by revenue
MagazineAmazon
No. 1 on the Fortune Global 500: Amazon’s Jeff Bezos on how his garage startup became the largest company in the world by revenue
By Kristin StollerJuly 28, 2026
8 hours ago
Can a global car company survive today’s complicated world? Nissan hopes to find out
MagazineNissan
Can a global car company survive today’s complicated world? Nissan hopes to find out
By Andrew StaplesJuly 28, 2026
8 hours ago
How Wistron’s early Nvidia bet made it an unsung winner of the AI boom—and one of the biggest risers on this year’s Global 500
MagazineGlobal 500
How Wistron’s early Nvidia bet made it an unsung winner of the AI boom—and one of the biggest risers on this year’s Global 500
By Nicholas GordonJuly 28, 2026
8 hours ago

Most Popular

Why did a $154 billion CEO just endorse stripping most Americans of voting rights—and taking us back to the 19th century?
C-Suite
Why did a $154 billion CEO just endorse stripping most Americans of voting rights—and taking us back to the 19th century?
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 27, 2026
24 hours ago
New York City women are making up to $30,000 per month by renting out their closets to strangers
Retail
New York City women are making up to $30,000 per month by renting out their closets to strangers
By Sarah GlodekJuly 27, 2026
1 day ago
A Nobel economist challenged Elon Musk to donate his entire $1T fortune by 2036. Musk's reply: 'I am actually going to do something along these lines'
Success
A Nobel economist challenged Elon Musk to donate his entire $1T fortune by 2036. Musk's reply: 'I am actually going to do something along these lines'
By Sydney LakeJuly 27, 2026
19 hours ago
The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
Real Estate
The millennial generation is split in 2: an older crowd with boomer-style comfort, a younger set going 'back to the early 1900s'
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 25, 2026
3 days ago
Current price of silver as of Monday, July 27, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Monday, July 27, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 27, 2026
1 day ago
I've been teaching college students for decades. Most of them can no longer finish a book
Commentary
I've been teaching college students for decades. Most of them can no longer finish a book
By Austin SaratJuly 26, 2026
2 days ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.