Social Networking News: Ning CEO Steps Down After Half a Decade
The first social networking news for this week comes from Ning, an online platform that lets people create their own social networks. Launched back in October 2005, Ning was founded by Marc Andreessen and Gina Bianchini – and since then the position of CEO has been filled by Gina Bianchini. Now, after half a decade, Gina Bianchini has stepped down from the position she occupied within the company. She will be joining Andreessen’s new venture capital firm as an Executive In Residence (EIR).
The position of Ning CEO did not remain unoccupied. Gina Bianchini’s duties have been transferred to Jason Rosenthal, the new CEO of Ning. Jason Rosenthal used to be Ning’s Chief operating Office (COO) and head of business operations.
“Now that we have built Ning to its current position in the market, I am ready to hand the reins over to Jason and the team to continue to execute on our vision and strategy. As a founder and large shareholder, I’ll continue to do everything I can to support and cheer on Ning,” said Gina Bianchini.
How does Gina Bianchini’s stepping down as CEO affect Ning? It doesn’t affect Ning’s services, the current management team will not change, and Ning founder Marc Andreessen continues to be chairman. Speaking of Marc Andreessen, he used this occasion to congratulate Bianchini on the great job she did while Ning’s CEO.
“I’d like to celebrate this moment by enthusiastically congratulating Gina on an amazing series of accomplishments in her time as CEO. Ning today is one of the world’s top social networking properties, with more than 2.3 million user-created Ning Networks and more than 45 million registered users, and is far and away the market leading social platform for interests and passions. Ning Networks span every area of human endeavor, from the arts to business, politics to social activism, and every other field you can think of. Over 5,000 new Ning Networks are created every day, and we’re adding a million new registered users every 12 days. This is all the result of Gina’s incredible dedication, as well as the phenomenal team she has built, since we first started the company,” said Marc Andreessen.
If you would like to get started with Ning, please click here.
The position of Ning CEO did not remain unoccupied. Gina Bianchini’s duties have been transferred to Jason Rosenthal, the new CEO of Ning. Jason Rosenthal used to be Ning’s Chief operating Office (COO) and head of business operations.
“Now that we have built Ning to its current position in the market, I am ready to hand the reins over to Jason and the team to continue to execute on our vision and strategy. As a founder and large shareholder, I’ll continue to do everything I can to support and cheer on Ning,” said Gina Bianchini.
How does Gina Bianchini’s stepping down as CEO affect Ning? It doesn’t affect Ning’s services, the current management team will not change, and Ning founder Marc Andreessen continues to be chairman. Speaking of Marc Andreessen, he used this occasion to congratulate Bianchini on the great job she did while Ning’s CEO.
“I’d like to celebrate this moment by enthusiastically congratulating Gina on an amazing series of accomplishments in her time as CEO. Ning today is one of the world’s top social networking properties, with more than 2.3 million user-created Ning Networks and more than 45 million registered users, and is far and away the market leading social platform for interests and passions. Ning Networks span every area of human endeavor, from the arts to business, politics to social activism, and every other field you can think of. Over 5,000 new Ning Networks are created every day, and we’re adding a million new registered users every 12 days. This is all the result of Gina’s incredible dedication, as well as the phenomenal team she has built, since we first started the company,” said Marc Andreessen.
If you would like to get started with Ning, please click here.
