Dan Clancy

{{Short description|American business executive (born 1964)}}

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{{About|the technologist|the musician from the band Lighthouse|Dan Clancy (musician)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Dan Clancy

| image = CES 2025 - Dan Clancy 01 (cropped).jpg

| caption = Clancy in 2025

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1964|01|11}}

| birth_place = New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.

| nationality =

| occupation =

| known_for = Twitch (CEO)

| height_ft = 6

| height_in = 3

| spouse = Sienna Clancy

| children = 2, including Savannah Clancy

| education = {{plainlist|

}}

| website =

| module = {{Infobox Twitch streamer

| embed = yes

| pseudonym =

| channel_name = DJClancy

| years_active =

| followers = 59,000

| language = English

| module =

| stats_update = April 2025

| extra_information = }}

}}

Daniel Joseph Clancy{{cite web |url=https://clips.twitch.tv/RelatedDifficultJuiceGivePLZ-kPwQQUCiba8pdyC4 |title=DJ Clancy |author= |date=July 30, 2023 |website=clips.twitch.tv |publisher= |access-date=July 30, 2023 |quote=}} (born January 11, 1964) is an American technologist and computer scientist. After working at NASA, he was the engineering director for Google Book Search from 2005 to early 2014.{{Cite web |url=https://danclancy.me/2014/02/04/its-time-to-move-on-from-google/ |title=Website Dan Clancy, Febr. 2014 |access-date=2017-12-07 |archive-date=2018-08-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180826064058/https://danclancy.me/2014/02/04/its-time-to-move-on-from-google/ |url-status=dead }} From 2014 to 2018, Clancy was vice president of product and engineering at social networking service Nextdoor.{{Cite web |url=http://danclancy.me/2014/02/04/nextdoor-my-next-big-challenge/ |title=Website Dan Clancy, Febr. 2014 |access-date=2014-02-07 |archive-date=2014-02-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140204101953/http://danclancy.me/2014/02/04/nextdoor-my-next-big-challenge/ |url-status=dead }}

Clancy became president of Twitch Interactive Inc., the operator of Twitch in 2019.[https://www.linkedin.com/in/danclancy/ LinkedIn Dan Clancy, March. 2022] In March 2023, he became chief executive officer of Twitch, after previous CEO and co-founder Emmett Shear announced he would step down.{{Cite web |title=16 Years Of Twitch |url=https://blog.twitch.tv/en/2023/03/16/16-years-of-twitch/ |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=Twitch Blog}}{{Cite web |last=Hatmaker |first=Taylor |date=2023-03-16 |title=Twitch CEO Emmett Shear is stepping down |url=https://techcrunch.com/2023/03/16/twitch-ceo-emmett-shear-is-stepping-down/ |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}} As CEO, Clancy reports directly to Amazon VP of Audio, Twitch, and Games Steve Boom.{{Cite web |last=Goldsmith |first=Annie |date=2023-06-16 |title=Twitch's New CEO Tries to Strike the Right Chords |url=https://www.theinformation.com/articles/the-bandleader-stuck-in-the-middle-with-twitchs-iconoclastic-new-ceo |access-date=2024-09-23 |website=The Information}}

Early life

After attending Jesuit High School in New Orleans, Louisiana, Clancy received a BA in computer science and theatre from Duke University in 1985.{{Cite web |title=Dan Clancy |url=https://computerhistory.org/profile/dan-clancy/ |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=CHM |language=en}} He has a PhD in artificial intelligence from the University of Texas at Austin.{{Cite web |last=Spangler |first=Todd |date=2019-07-11 |title=Twitch Exec Shuffle: CMO Kate Jhaveri Exiting, Dan Clancy and Lenke Taylor Hired in Senior Roles |url=https://variety.com/2019/digital/news/twitch-kate-jhaveri-exits-dan-clancy-lenke-taylor-1203264466/ |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} While in school, Clancy worked at Trilogy, Xerox Webster Research center and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Clancy has two adult children with his wife Sienna. One of them, Savannah Clancy, is a folk singer-songwriter based in White Salmon, Washington. Daniel and Savannah are known to stream together on Twitch.{{Cite web |last=Goldsmith |first=Annie |date=2024 |title=Twitch's New CEO Tries to Strike the Right Chords |url=https://www.theinformation.com/articles/the-bandleader-stuck-in-the-middle-with-twitchs-iconoclastic-new-ceo |archive-url= |website=The Information}}{{Cite web |last=Clancy |first=Savannah |title=Savannah Clancy Music |url=https://www.savannahclancymusic.com/ |access-date=2024-08-10 |website=Savannah Clancy Music |language=en-US}}

Career

= NASA =

Clancy worked in different positions at NASA, first as a researcher on Integrated Health Management, autonomy, and robotics in 1998. In 2000 Clancy became chief of the Computational Sciences Division at NASA Ames Research Center.{{Cite web |last=Isaac |first=Mike |date=2014-02-04 |title=Nextdoor Taps Google Vet Dan Clancy for VP of Engineering Post |url=https://www.vox.com/2014/2/4/11623066/nextdoor-taps-google-vet-dan-clancy-for-vp-of-engineering-post |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=Vox |language=en}} Since 2003 he served as director of the Exploration Technologies Directorate, also at Ames.{{cite web |title=Dan Clancy |url=https://computerhistory.org/profile/dan-clancy/ |website=Computer History Museum |accessdate=2 May 2020}} The directorate supports over 700 people researching both robotic and human exploration missions. It is responsible for areas including intelligent systems, nanotechnology, entry systems and others. At NASA, Clancy participated in the team that developed the agency's plan to return men to the Moon and eventually Mars. Clancy was also head of information sciences and technology at NASA, leading teams related to artificial intelligence.{{Cite magazine |date=2007-01-29 |title=Google's Moon Shot |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2007/02/05/googles-moon-shot |access-date=2023-03-18 |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en-US}}

= Google =

In 2005, Clancy left NASA for Google, where he worked on International Search Quality, before becoming Engineering Lead for Google Book Search.{{Cite news |last=Rich |first=Motoko |date=2009-01-05 |title=Google Hopes to Open a Trove of Little-Seen Books |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/05/technology/internet/05google.html |access-date=2023-03-16 |issn=0362-4331}} There he worked on scaling the core technology that allowed Google to scan millions of books each year, as well as optimizing search rank results. While working with Google, Clancy took an active role in negotiating the Google Book Search copyright lawsuit settlement, and has been a spokesperson for Google in public statements about the settlement.{{Cite web |title=Library Journal |url=https://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6652445.html |access-date=2023-03-16 |website=www.libraryjournal.com}}{{Cite web |date=2009-09-08 |title=Google defends book deal |url=https://www.itweb.co.za/content/rW1xL75Gmz4qRk6m |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=ITWeb |language=en}}{{Cite web |title="Paper of Record" Disappears, Leaving Historians in the Lurch {{!}} Perspectives on History {{!}} AHA |url=https://www.historians.org/research-and-publications/perspectives-on-history/april-2009/paper-of-record-disappears-leaving-historians-in-the-lurch |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=www.historians.org}}

In 2008 he became Engineering Lead at Google Search Properties along with Jen Fitzpatrick, with responsibility for all of Google's search products, like Image Search, Product Search, Google News, Book Search, Google Finance or Google Video, with a continued focus on Book Search as well as Google News.

From 2010 to 2012, Clancy oversaw the Engineering and Product Lead divisions at YouTube, again focusing on search as well as infrastructure. He then became Senior Director for Research at Google,{{Cite web |last=Tolia |first=Nirav |date=2014-02-04 |title=Welcoming Dan Clancy to the neighborhood |url=https://blog.nextdoor.com/2014/02/04/welcoming-dan-clancy-to-the-neighborhood/ |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=Nextdoor Blog |language=en-US}} leading a variety of research teams including Sibyl, Googles massively parallel machine learning program,{{Cite web |title=Sibyl: Google's system for Large Scale Machine Learning |url=https://www.kdnuggets.com/sibyl-googles-system-for-large-scale-machine-learning.html |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=KDnuggets |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Woodie |first=Alex |date=2014-07-17 |title=Inside Sibyl, Google's Massively Parallel Machine Learning Platform |url=https://www.datanami.com/2014/07/17/inside-sibyl-googles-massively-parallel-machine-learning-platform/ |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=Datanami}} Human Computer Interaction, personalization and recommendations, and the Course Builder team & EdX partnership.

= Nextdoor =

In 2014, Clancy joined social media site Nextdoor as Vice President of product and engineering. As part of the executive team, he was responsible for leading the product, engineering and data science teams. He was Nextdoor's first executive hire outside of its founding team. Clancy left Nextdoor in 2018.File:Dan Clancy at Twitchcon San Diego 2022.jpg San Diego in 2022]]

= Twitch =

File:CES 2025 - Dan Clancy 01.jpg

In 2019, Clancy joined Twitch, initially as Vice President of creator and community experience, reporting to CEO Emmett Shear. He later became President of the Amazon-owned parent company of Twitch, Twitch Interactive, while also leading the product, engineering and go-to market functions.{{Cite web |title=Dan Clancy - President Twitch Interactive & Lead, Product, Engineering & GTM Functions at Twitch |url=https://theorg.com/org/twitch/org-chart/dan-clancy |access-date=2023-03-18 |website=THE ORG |language=en}}

On September 21, 2022, Clancy announced that Twitch would lower the subscription split all streamers receive to 50/50, from the previous 70/30 for select partners,{{cite web | url=https://www.thegamer.com/twitch-reducing-streamer-revenue-split-2023/ | title=Twitch Reducing Some Streamers' Revenue Split Once They Earn $100,000 | date=21 September 2022 }} reportedly to ensure Twitch would not operate at a loss.{{Cite web |title=A Letter from Twitch President Dan Clancy on Subscription Revenue Shares |url=https://blog.twitch.tv/en/2022/09/21/a-letter-from-twitch-president-dan-clancy-on-subscription-revenue-shares/ |access-date=2023-03-17 |website=Twitch Blog}} On the same day, Bloomberg reported that Twitch's Vice President of global creators, Constance Knight, would be leaving the company.{{Cite news |date=2022-09-23 |title=Twitch Creator Chief Exits With Controversy Over Streamer Pay Swirling |language=en |work=Bloomberg.com |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-09-23/twitch-content-chief-departs-amid-controversy-over-creator-pay |access-date=2023-03-17}} The company's chief content officer Mike Aragon and chief operating officer Sara Clemens had also left earlier the same year.{{Cite web |last=Spangler |first=Todd |date=2022-11-03 |title=Twitch Hires YouTube Alum Laura Lee as Chief Content Officer |url=https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/twitch-laura-lee-chief-content-officer-1235422217/ |access-date=2023-03-17 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=The People in Power at Twitch After Executive Departures and a Cut in Streamer Pay |url=https://www.theinformation.com/articles/the-people-in-power-at-twitch-after-executive-departures-and-a-cut-in-streamer-pay |access-date=2023-03-17 |website=The Information}} The change was criticized by streamers,{{Cite web |last=Dinsdale |first=Ryan |date=2022-09-21 |title=Twitch Removes Its Best-Paying Revenue Split for Streamers |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/twitch-removes-its-best-paying-revenue-split-for-streamers |access-date=2023-03-17 |website=IGN |language=en}} as well as the head of competitor YouTube Gaming, Ryan Wyatt, saying "the creator should be getting a disproportionate amount—this shouldn’t even be up for debate".{{Cite web |last=Wyatt |first=Ryan |date=2022-09-22 |title=[no title, text is in image form] |url=https://twitter.com/Fwiz/status/1572626040144678912 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220922184836/https://twitter.com/Fwiz/status/1572626040144678912 |archive-date=2022-09-22 |access-date=2023-03-17 |website=Twitter |language=en}} YouTube Gaming offers a 70/30 split, while platforms like OnlyFans or Patreon take 20% or less. Twitch streamer PointCrow wrote "The fact Twitch's solution to monetary problems is to cut creator pay rather than facilitate a better platform so more viewers visit the live-streaming site is incredibly worrying". On June 15th, 2023, Twitch announced partners with 350 non-gifted recurring subscriptions for three sequential months will qualify for the Partner Plus Program. Eligible partners will receive a 70/30 split for 12 months applicable to their first $100,000 of annual income before returning to a 50/50 split.{{cite web | url=https://gamerant.com/twitch-70-30-revenue-split/ | title=Twitch Introduces 70-30 Revenue Split, but There's a Catch | date=15 June 2023 }}

On March 16, 2023, Clancy became CEO of Twitch, after previous CEO and Justin.tv co-founder Emmett Shear announced he would step down after 16 years at the company. Both Shear and Clancy have been described as "more product-focused than creator-focused". On March 20, Clancy announced that Twitch would be laying off 400 employees, as part of Amazon-wide layoffs affecting 9000 workers across the company.{{Cite web |title=An update about our workforce |url=https://blog.twitch.tv/en/2023/03/20/an-update-about-our-workforce/ |access-date=2023-03-20 |website=Twitch Blog}}{{Cite web |last=Palmer |first=Annie |title=Amazon to lay off 9,000 more workers in addition to earlier cuts |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/03/20/amazon-layoffs-company-to-cut-off-9000-more-workers.html |access-date=2023-03-20 |website=CNBC |date=20 March 2023 |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Hatmaker |first=Taylor |date=2023-03-20 |title=Twitch says it will lay off 400 employees |url=https://techcrunch.com/2023/03/20/twitch-says-it-will-lay-off-400-employees/ |access-date=2023-03-20 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}} In January 2024, another round of layoffs totaling 500 people (35% of staff) was announced.{{Cite web |last=D'Anastasio |first=Cecilia |title=Amazon's Twitch to Cut 500 Employees, About 35% of Staff |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-01-09/amazon-s-twitch-to-cut-500-employees-about-35-of-staff |access-date=2024-01-10 |website=www.bloomberg.com}}{{Cite web |title=A Difficult Update about our Workforce |url=https://blog.twitch.tv/en/2024/01/10/a-difficult-update-about-our-workforce/ |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=blog.twitch.tv |language=en}}

References

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