Ryan Roslansky has stepped down as chief executive of LinkedIn after six years leading the world's largest professional networking platform, with chief operating officer Dan Shapero assuming the role immediately.

Roslansky joined LinkedIn in 2009 as one of then-chief executive Jeff Weiner's first hires, and spent more than a decade working across nearly every part of the business before taking the top job in June 2020, at the height of pandemic-era labour market upheaval. 

He inherited a platform with 700 million members and roughly $8 billion in annual revenue. He leaves with 1.3 billion members and more than $17 billion in revenue. That growth coincided with a significant shift in the platform's character, as LinkedIn evolved from a jobs board and professional directory into a social network where executives regularly share personal essays, career advice, and opinion—a transformation that has attracted both loyal users and widespread mockery in equal measure.

Roslansky also holds the title of executive vice president at Microsoft, which acquired LinkedIn in 2016. In a post on the platform, he indicated that his role within Microsoft is expanding, with Shapero now reporting directly to him. The transition therefore marks a change in operational leadership rather than a full departure from the company's orbit.

Shapero, who has served as LinkedIn's chief operating officer, takes over a platform navigating significant uncertainty in the jobs market, including a roughly 20% decline in hiring since 2022 and ongoing questions about the long-term impact of artificial intelligence on employment.