X could “get by just with having a GM, or a traditional CRO,” said Prohaska. “I don’t see Musk needing or wanting a ‘name’ externally this time around.”

This kind of leader could be pulled from X’s existing talent pool, in theory. John Nitti, X’s global head of revenue operations and advertising innovation, would be an obvious contender for a CRO role, according to Andrew Buckman, chief growth officer at media company Azerion. 

“What the platform may actually need is a COO-style leader: someone to drive day-to-day execution, strengthen advertiser relationships, and run the platform with discipline—while Musk retains strategic oversight of the AI-driven future,” he said. “It is a familiar Musk playbook: centralize vision, decentralize delivery.”

Potential candidates might include current X leaders like Nitti, global head of marketing Angela Zepeda, or head of Americas Monique Pintarelli, according to a Wall Street Journal report from last week.

If he’s looking beyond X’s four walls, Musk will need a leader who can marry media, content, and monetization expertise with tech savvy, said Javier Rodriguez Horta, global marketing strategy practice lead at marketing consulting firm CvE. VidMob CEO Alex Collmer and Meta alum Carolyn Everson stand out as strong options, he said.

On the more speculative side of the spectrum, Ana Milicevic, cofounder and principal at marketing consultancy Sparrow Advisers, posited: “Perhaps the best CEO for X isn’t a person but an algorithm.” 

Still, many are skeptical that X’s business will remain focused on advertising: “Elon could tap one of those capable [internal] execs if they’re interested in leading the dwindling ad practice,” Prohaska told ADWEEK.