Mozilla Appoints Raffi Krikorian as Its First Portfolio-Wide Chief Technology Officer
September 22, 2025
Mozilla is proud to announce the appointment of Raffi Krikorian as its inaugural portfolio-wide Chief Technology Officer (CTO). A seasoned technologist, innovator, and community builder, Krikorian joins Mozilla at a critical juncture within the technology landscape, bringing vast experience from across sectors including technology, politics, media, and philanthropy.
Reporting directly to Mozilla President Mark Surman, Raffi will coordinate technological strategies and initiatives across Mozilla’s entire family of organizations. His work will complement the efforts of current technical leaders such as Anthony Enzor-DeMeo, General Manager of Firefox; Bobby Holley, CTO of Firefox; and Ryan Sipes, associated with Thunderbird.
Guiding Mozilla’s Vision in an AI-Driven Future
As artificial intelligence and technology evolve rapidly and become increasingly dominated by a handful of major corporations, Raffi Krikorian’s leadership comes at a moment of significant urgency and potential. He will spearhead Mozilla’s mission to develop trustworthy, transparent, and open-source AI technologies that empower users with understanding and control—rather than succumb to a future defined by opaque solutions and centralized control.
Mark Surman emphasized the importance of this vision, stating, “We need to make sure AI and the internet belong to all of us, not just a few big companies. Raffi is the right person to lead that charge — creative, innovative and passionate about responsible technology. He puts wind in our sails, accelerating Mozilla’s mission of building technology based on the values in our Manifesto.”
A Proven Leader with Broad Impact
Raffi Krikorian brings an impressive track record of leadership and innovation to Mozilla. Before joining the foundation, he served as CTO at Emerson Collective, where he championed integrating technologists into fields such as education, environmental advocacy, immigration policy, and economic mobility. He also produced the “Technically Optimistic” podcast and Substack newsletter, delving into technology’s influence on society.
His prior roles include serving as the first CTO of the United States Democratic National Committee (DNC), where he innovatively applied data, technology, and digital security to bolster election campaigns. He was also the Director of Uber’s Advanced Technologies Center, leading the launch of the company’s pioneering self-driving car fleet. Furthermore, Krikorian served as Vice President of Platform Engineering at Twitter, managing and expanding the platform’s global infrastructure.
In addition to his professional career, Raffi has been closely involved with Mozilla through service on the Mozilla Foundation Board of Directors since 2023, membership on the Mozilla.ai Board since 2024, and participation with the Mozilla.org Board since its inception.
A Commitment to Open, Responsible Technology
Krikorian articulates a clear vision for Mozilla’s role in the technological ecosystem: “We don’t just need critiques on how AI is being built — we need real, working alternatives. Mozilla is one of the few places that can actually do that. It’s built for this moment. I’m excited to join the team and help shape technology that reflects values we care about — transparency, openness, participation, and trust.”
As Mozilla continues its work to defend an open and accessible internet, Raffi Krikorian’s leadership as CTO is expected to accelerate the organization’s efforts to build technologies rooted in ethical principles and the public good.
About Mozilla
Mozilla is a global nonprofit organization committed to ensuring the internet benefits all users by promoting openness, innovation, and opportunity online. Mozilla’s products, policies, and advocacy work strive to create a healthier internet for everyone.
For more information, visit mozilla.org.
This announcement highlights Mozilla’s strategic direction in technology leadership and reaffirms its commitment to building a trustworthy digital future.
