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Twitter’s managing director for Greater China quits after just eight months

kathychenTwitter’s managing director for Greater China has quit her position after just eight months in the job.

Kathy Chen, who was controversially appointed to the job in April last year, announced her resignation via a series of 12 tweets.

Stating that Twitter’s advertiser base had grown by nearly 400 per cent in the past two years, Chen said Chinese advertising sales and support activities would be transitioned to the company’s APAC headquarters in Singapore.

“Now that the Twitter APAC team is working directly with Chinese advertisers, this is the right time for me to leave the company,” she added.

Twitter, which has been blocked in mainland China since 2009, had appointed Chen in a bid to attract increased advertising revenue. A former member of the People’s Liberation Army, however, her appointment was criticised by both human rights activists and NGOs.

Twitter declined to comment on Chen’s departure, although it confirmed its Hong Kong office would be retained.

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