Twilio CEO Lawson steps down after bruising activist battles

Core Viewpoint - Twilio's CEO Jeff Lawson is stepping down amid pressure from activist investors, with shares rising approximately 7.3% following the announcement [1]. Group 1: Leadership Change - Jeff Lawson announced his resignation as CEO, stating it is time for new leadership to guide Twilio into its next chapter [1]. - Khozema Shipchandler, a long-time executive at Twilio, will take over as CEO effective immediately [1]. Group 2: Activist Investors - Activist investors Anson Funds and Legion Partners are advocating for significant changes, including the potential sale of the company or divestment of its data and applications business [1][2]. - Anson Funds expressed satisfaction with Lawson's departure, viewing it as a positive step, but emphasized that further actions are necessary to enhance shareholder value [2]. Group 3: Company Restructuring - Twilio has recently laid off an additional 5% of its workforce, focusing on the data and applications segment [3]. - Despite the leadership change, there are indications that more restructuring may be required to address the concerns of activist investors [3].