Elon Musk has announced the appointment of a new CEO to head Twitter.

He made the announcement on the social media site, which he purchased last year for $44 billion (£35.2 billion).

Mr Musk did not name the site’s new leader, but stated that “she” will begin in six weeks, after which he would become executive chairman and chief technology officer.

He has been under pressure to appoint someone else to head the company so that he can focus on his other ventures.

After Twitter users voted for him to resign in an online poll last year, he stated, “No one wants the job who can actually keep Twitter alive.”

However, while Mr Musk had stated that he would relinquish control, it was unclear when or even if this would occur.

Tesla stock increased following the announcement. Shareholders have already accused Mr Musk of abandoning Tesla following his takeover of Twitter and harming the car company’s brand.

“We ultimately view this as a major step forward with Musk finally reading the room that has been around this Twitter nightmare,” Wedbush Securities’ Dan Ives said.

“Trying to balance Twitter, Tesla, and SpaceX as CEOs (is) an impossible task that needed to change,” Mr Ives continued.

According to two US media sources, NBCUniversal’s president of advertising Linda Yaccarino is in negotiations to become Twitter’s CEO. People acquainted with the situation were quoted in the Wall Street Journal and Variety.

Twitter did not respond to the reports. NBCUniversal did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the BBC.

It can be tough to tell when the billionaire and Twitter owner is serious.

When asked by the BBC last month who would head Twitter, Mr Musk replied he had appointed a dog as CEO.