V Pappas

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| image = TikTok Chief Operating Officer Vanessa Pappas (52184176779) (2).jpg

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| birth_name = Vanessa Pappas

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| birth_place = Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia

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V Pappas (born {{circa |1978}}), also known as Vanessa Pappas,{{cite news |last1=Fung |first1=Brian |title=Top TikTok exec and public face of company in US is stepping down |url=https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/22/tech/tiktok-exec-data/index.html |publisher=CNN |date=June 22, 2023 |access-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-date=July 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230702113437/https://www.cnn.com/2023/06/22/tech/tiktok-exec-data/index.html |url-status=live }} is an Australian-American businessperson who was the chief operating officer (COO) at TikTok. Pappas previously held executive positions at Next New Networks and YouTube, and has served on the board of directors of Simon & Schuster and the board of trustees of the Paley Center for Media.

Early life and education

Vanessa Pappas was born in 1978 or 1979{{cite news |last1=Isaac |first1=Mike |last2=Lorenz |first2=Taylor |date=September 11, 2020 |title=The Woman Taking Over TikTok at the Toughest Time |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/11/technology/tiktok-vanessa-pappas-bytedance.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240629141741/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/11/technology/tiktok-vanessa-pappas-bytedance.html |archive-date=June 29, 2024 |access-date=June 29, 2024 |work=The New York Times}} in Darwin, Northern Territory, and raised in Brisbane, Queensland.{{cite news |title=TikTok chief operating officer V Pappas steps down after five years |url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/jun/22/tiktok-v-pappas-resign-coo |work=The Guardian |date=June 22, 2023 |access-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-date=July 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240703140142/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2023/jun/22/tiktok-v-pappas-resign-coo |url-status=live }} Their father is Greek.{{cite journal |last1=DiTrolio |first1=Megan |title=The Reigning Queen of TikTok |journal=Marie Claire |date=August 11, 2020 |url=https://www.marieclaire.com/career-advice/a33485889/tiktok-vanessa-pappas-interview/ |access-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-date=November 29, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231129084222/https://www.marieclaire.com/career-advice/a33485889/tiktok-vanessa-pappas-interview/ |url-status=live }} After receiving their first computer at approximately age 10–12, Pappas began learning basic coding in high school.{{cite news |last1=Sier |first1=Jessica |title=TikTok's COO is an Aussie success story (who happens to be non-binary) |url=https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/leaders/tiktok-s-coo-is-an-aussie-success-story-who-happens-to-be-non-binary-20230320-p5ctqp#:~:text=Pappas%20has%20had%20a%20rollercoaster,its%20snappy%20videos%20every%20month |work=Australian Financial Review |date=March 24, 2023 |access-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240629141744/https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/leaders/tiktok-s-coo-is-an-aussie-success-story-who-happens-to-be-non-binary-20230320-p5ctqp#:~:text=Pappas%20has%20had%20a%20rollercoaster,its%20snappy%20videos%20every%20month |url-status=live }}{{cite journal |last1=Radloff |first1=Jessica |title=How TikTok COO Vanessa Pappas Manages One of the Most Influential Jobs in the World |journal=Glamour |date=November 22, 2021 |url=https://www.glamour.com/story/how-tiktok-coo-vanessa-pappas-manages-one-of-the-most-influential-jobs-in-the-world |access-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240629141741/https://www.glamour.com/story/how-tiktok-coo-vanessa-pappas-manages-one-of-the-most-influential-jobs-in-the-world |url-status=live }}

They lived in Australia until the age of 20. They earned Master of Arts degrees in media from the University of Queensland in Brisbane and The New School in New York City,{{cite journal |last1=Spangler |first1=Todd |title=TikTok North America GM Says the App Doesn't Operate in China, but That Doesn't Change Anything About Its U.S.-Mandated Sale |journal=Variety |date=August 4, 2020 |url=https://variety.com/2020/digital/news/tiktok-app-doesnt-operate-in-china-1234725033/ |access-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240629141740/https://variety.com/2020/digital/news/tiktok-app-doesnt-operate-in-china-1234725033/ |url-status=live }} graduating from the latter in 2007.{{cite web |title=Vanessa Pappas |url=https://newschoolmediastudies.org/alumni/vanessa-pappas/#:~:text=Vanessa%20is%20currently%20Chief%20Operating,Head%20of%20Creative%20Insights%2C%20YouTube. |publisher=The New School |access-date=2024-06-29 |archive-date=2023-11-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231103170101/https://newschoolmediastudies.org/alumni/vanessa-pappas/#:~:text=Vanessa%20is%20currently%20Chief%20Operating,Head%20of%20Creative%20Insights%2C%20YouTube. |url-status=live }}

Career

Early in their career, Pappas was the director of entertainment programming for Next New Networks, starting in 2007. The company was acquired by YouTube in 2011. Pappas became YouTube's first head of audience development, and later the global head of creative insights.{{cite web |last1=Hatmaker |first1=Tayor |title=TikTok's COO is leaving their role at the company |url=https://techcrunch.com/2023/06/22/tiktok-coo-v-pappas-leaves/ |website=TechCrunch |date=June 22, 2023 |access-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240629141742/https://techcrunch.com/2023/06/22/tiktok-coo-v-pappas-leaves/ |url-status=live }} They also created the YouTube Creator Playbook,{{cite news |last1=Yurieff |first1=Kaya |title=She was promoted just in time to lead TikTok through a 'Category 5 storm' |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/04/tech/tiktok-interim-head-vanessa-pappas/index.html |publisher=CNN |date=January 4, 2021 |access-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240629141744/https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/04/tech/tiktok-interim-head-vanessa-pappas/index.html |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Leskin |first1=Paige |title=Under Vanessa Pappas, TikTok could go from political nightmare to a powerhouse focused on investing in creators |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-who-is-vanessa-pappas-trump-china-bytedance-creators-profile-2020-9 |work=Business Insider |date=September 23, 2020 |access-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240629141742/https://www.businessinsider.com/tiktok-who-is-vanessa-pappas-trump-china-bytedance-creators-profile-2020-9 |url-status=live }} described as a blueprint for how to be successful on YouTube. Pappas was with YouTube for approximately eight years.{{cite journal |last1=Cohen |first1=David |title=How TikTok's Vanessa Pappas Pushed the Platform Not Just to Survive, but to Thrive |journal=Adweek |date=October 24, 2021 |url=https://www.adweek.com/media/how-tiktoks-vanessa-pappas-pushed-the-platform-not-just-to-survive-but-to-thrive/ |access-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-date=July 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240703140144/https://www.adweek.com/media/how-tiktoks-vanessa-pappas-pushed-the-platform-not-just-to-survive-but-to-thrive/ |url-status=live }}

Pappas was recruited to run TikTok in the U.S. in 2018 and worked at the platform for approximately five years.{{cite news |title=TikTok COO Pappas quits after five years in the role |url=https://www.reuters.com/technology/tiktok-coo-pappas-has-quit-information-2023-06-22/ |publisher=Reuters |date=June 22, 2023 |access-date=2024-06-29 |archive-date=2023-06-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230629124540/https://www.reuters.com/technology/tiktok-coo-pappas-has-quit-information-2023-06-22/ |url-status=live }} They first joined the parent company ByteDance as a strategic advisor, and became TikTok's general manager for the U.S. one month later. In July 2019, Pappas was promoted to the role of general manager for North America, Australia, and New Zealand. Pappas was appointed TikTok's interim global head in August 2020, taking over the lead role at the company after U.S. President Donald Trump had issued an executive order to ban TikTok. Pappas was a vocal opponent against the threat of the ban.{{cite news |title=TikTok: US general manager Pappas says app 'here for the long run' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-53622799 |publisher=BBC News |date=August 1, 2020 |access-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-date=April 18, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418202636/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-53622799 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Banjo |first1=Shelly |title=TikTok's U.S. Chief Says Video Site Will Stay Despite Trump Ban |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-21/trump-s-ban-won-t-drive-tiktok-from-u-s-executive-says |work=Bloomberg.com |date=August 21, 2020 |access-date=2024-06-29 |archive-date=2024-07-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240703140155/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-21/trump-s-ban-won-t-drive-tiktok-from-u-s-executive-says |url-status=live }} In 2021, Pappas was appointed chief operating officer (COO),{{cite news |last1=Spangler |first1=Todd |title=TikTok Names New CEO and Chief Operating Officer |url=https://variety.com/2021/digital/news/tiktok-ceo-coo-appointments-1234963899/ |work=Variety |date=April 30, 2021 |access-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-date=May 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530220924/https://variety.com/2021/digital/news/tiktok-ceo-coo-appointments-1234963899/ |url-status=live }} a role Pappas held until they stepped down in 2023.{{cite news |last1=Lavietes |first1=Matt |title=TikTok executive comes out as nonbinary |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/nbc-out-proud/tiktok-executive-comes-nonbinary-rcna69516 |publisher=NBC News |date=February 7, 2023 |access-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240629141740/https://www.nbcnews.com/nbc-out/nbc-out-proud/tiktok-executive-comes-nonbinary-rcna69516 |url-status=live }} During their tenure, Pappas was seen as a public face for TikTok in the U.S., and represented the company at a U.S. Senate hearing in late 2022.{{cite news |last1=Fung |first1=Brian |title=TikTok won't commit to stopping US data flows to China |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/14/tech/tiktok-china-data/index.html |publisher=CNN |date=September 14, 2022 |access-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-date=May 18, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240518074240/https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/14/tech/tiktok-china-data/index.html |url-status=live }} They also helped launch TikTok's Content Advisory Council and Creator Diversity Collective to address issues related to online safety and diversity, respectively.{{cite journal |last1=Cohen |first1=David |title=TikTok Introduces Its Content Advisory Council |journal=Adweek |date=March 18, 2020 |url=https://www.adweek.com/performance-marketing/tiktok-introduces-its-content-advisory-council/ |access-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-date=July 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240703140147/https://www.adweek.com/performance-marketing/tiktok-introduces-its-content-advisory-council/ |url-status=live }}{{cite journal |last1=Cohen |first1=David |title=TikTok Forms Creator Diversity Collective |journal=Adweek |date=June 25, 2020 |url=https://www.adweek.com/performance-marketing/tiktok-forms-creator-diversity-collective/ |access-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240629141748/https://www.adweek.com/performance-marketing/tiktok-forms-creator-diversity-collective/ |url-status=live }} Pappas continued to advise TikTok after resigning from the role of COO.{{cite news |last1=Barinka |first1=Alex |last2=Palmeri |first2=Christopher |title=TikTok COO Pappas Steps Down |publisher=Bloomberg News |date=June 22, 2023 |url=https://time.com/6289335/tiktok-coo-pappas-steps-down/ |via=Time |access-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240629141741/https://time.com/6289335/tiktok-coo-pappas-steps-down/ |url-status=live }}

Recognition

Pappas was included in Bloomberg's 50 Most Influential list in 2021,{{cite news |last1=Wagner |first1=Kurt |title=Vanessa Pappas, TikTok's Steady Hand |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-01/vanessa-pappas-tiktok-leader-who-kept-app-steady-bloomberg-50-2021 |publisher=Bloomberg News |date=December 1, 2021 |access-date=2024-06-29 |archive-date=2022-07-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220705135901/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-01/vanessa-pappas-tiktok-leader-who-kept-app-steady-bloomberg-50-2021 |url-status=live }}{{cite news |title=Two Greeks on the 'Bloomberg 50' – TikTok's Vanessa Pappas tops the list |url=https://neoskosmos.com/en/2021/12/02/news/two-greeks-on-the-bloomberg-50-tiktoks-vanessa-pappas-tops-the-list/ |work=Neos Kosmos |date=December 2, 2021 |access-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240629141744/https://neoskosmos.com/en/2021/12/02/news/two-greeks-on-the-bloomberg-50-tiktoks-vanessa-pappas-tops-the-list/ |url-status=live }} as well as Vogue Australia{{'s}} list of 21 "Australian women who defined 2021".{{cite journal |title=21 Australian women who defined 2021 |journal=Vogue Australia |date=December 15, 2021 |url=https://www.vogue.com.au/culture/features/21-women-of-2021/image-gallery/3c313bdab3f3f8aefee7ecac1b43303f |access-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-date=October 26, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231026004054/https://www.vogue.com.au/culture/features/21-women-of-2021/image-gallery/3c313bdab3f3f8aefee7ecac1b43303f |url-status=live }} They were also named Digital Executive of the Year by Adweek in 2021, and included in Fortune{{'s}} 2022 list of the most powerful women.{{cite journal |title=Most Powerful Women: Vanessa Pappas |journal=Fortune |url=https://fortune.com/ranking/most-powerful-women/2022/vanessa-pappas/ |access-date=2024-06-29 |archive-date=2023-07-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230705035027/https://fortune.com/ranking/most-powerful-women/2022/vanessa-pappas/ |url-status=live }} Pappas was included in Los Angeles Business Journal{{'s}} LA500 list in 2022 and 2023,{{cite journal |title=LA500 2022: Vanessa Pappas |journal=Los Angeles Business Journal |date=June 20, 2022 |url=https://labusinessjournal.com/special-editions/la500/2022/technology-2022/la500-2022-vanessa-pappas/ |access-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240629141747/https://labusinessjournal.com/special-editions/la500/2022/technology-2022/la500-2022-vanessa-pappas/ |url-status=live }}{{cite journal |title=LA500 2023: Vanessa Pappas |journal=Los Angeles Business Journal |date=June 5, 2023 |url=https://labusinessjournal.com/special-editions/la500/2023-la500/technology-2023/la500-2023-vanessa-pappas/ |access-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240629141743/https://labusinessjournal.com/special-editions/la500/2023-la500/technology-2023/la500-2023-vanessa-pappas/ |url-status=live }} and ranked second on Fast Company{{'s}} Queer 50 list of "LGBTQ women and nonbinary innovators in business and tech".{{cite journal |title=Fast Company's 2023 Queer 50 |journal=Fast Company |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/queer-50/list |access-date=2024-06-29 |archive-date=2024-06-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240630023629/https://www.fastcompany.com/queer-50/list |url-status=live }}

Board service

Pappas has served on the board of directors of Simon & Schuster,{{cite news |last1=Goldsmith |first1=Jill |title=Kareem Daniel Resurfaces On Simon & Schuster Board, With Former TikTok COO V Pappas |url=https://deadline.com/2023/12/kareem-daniel-v-pappas-simon-and-schusters-board-disney-tiktok-1235656558/ |work=Deadline Hollywood |date=December 7, 2023 |access-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-date=December 16, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231216072447/https://deadline.com/2023/12/kareem-daniel-v-pappas-simon-and-schusters-board-disney-tiktok-1235656558/ |url-status=live }}{{cite news |last1=Harris |first1=Elizabeth A. |title=Simon & Schuster Board Comes From Books, Disney and TikTok |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/07/books/simon-schuster-board-kkr.html |work=The New York Times |date=December 7, 2023 |quote=V Pappas, another board member, has experience in a different aspect of book selling: social media. Mx. Pappas was the chief operating officer at TikTok, which has become enormously important in the industry. |access-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-date=July 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240703140145/https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/07/books/simon-schuster-board-kkr.html |url-status=live }} as well as the board of trustees of the Paley Center for Media.{{cite news |last1=Goldsmith |first1=Jill |title=Paley Center Names WME's Christian Muirhead, Banijay Americas' Ben Samek To LA Board; AMC Networks' Kristin Dolan New Trustee |url=https://deadline.com/2024/05/paley-center-christian-muirhead-banijay-americas-la-board-1235943388/ |work=Deadline Hollywood |date=May 29, 2024 |access-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-date=May 30, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240530030919/https://deadline.com/2024/05/paley-center-christian-muirhead-banijay-americas-la-board-1235943388/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Board of Trustees |date=11 July 2023 |url=https://www.paleycenter.org/about/about-leadership-board-of-trustees/ |publisher=Paley Center for Media |access-date=29 June 2024 |archive-date=29 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240629141741/https://www.paleycenter.org/about/about-leadership-board-of-trustees/ |url-status=live }}

Personal life

After leaving Australia, Pappas lived in London, England, for four years, then moved to the U.S. They lived in New York City while working at YouTube, and relocated to Los Angeles to work for TikTok.

Pappas identifies as "being both a woman and non-binary". They came out as non-binary in 2023, and use the pronouns they/them and she/her.{{cite news |last1=Perry |first1=Sophie |title=TikTok COO comes out as non-binary with powerful message of 'celebrating difference' |url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/02/07/tiktok-coo-v-pappas-non-binary/ |work=PinkNews |date=February 7, 2023 |access-date=June 29, 2024 |archive-date=April 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240409014926/https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/02/07/tiktok-coo-v-pappas-non-binary/ |url-status=live }} Pappas is pansexual and married with two children.