Security News > 2022 > January > Signal CEO Moxie Marlinspike resigns, leaves WhatsApp co-founder to run things until a successor is named

Moxie Marlinspike, the creator of the Signal secure messaging app, on Monday announced his resignation as CEO of the company.

Marlinspike said he had always intended to grow Signal to the point that it could go on without his direct involvement but that wasn't possible as recently as four years ago when he was writing most of the code, managing employees, and personally handling support.

Signal is one of only two mobile messaging apps deemed secure enough to be recommended by the Electronic Frontier Foundation, where "Secure" means encrypted end-to-end with some degree of credibility.

Coincidentally, Marlinspike's temporary replacement will be Brian Acton, the co-founder of WhatsApp, who left that company in 2018 to co-found, with Marlinspike, the Signal Foundation, the 501c3 non-profit that oversees Signal Messenger, LLC, the app company.

"I will continue to remain on the Signal board, committed to helping manifest Signal's mission from that role, and I will be transitioning out as CEO over the next month in order to focus on the candidate search," explained Marlinspike in a post announcing his departure.

"Brian Acton, who is also on the Signal Foundation board, has volunteered to serve as interim CEO during the search period."

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2022/01/11/signal_ceo_moxie_marlinspike_resigns/