Reddit has appointed Paul Cappuccio as Chief Legal Officer, effective mid-September, replacing Benjamin Lee who is stepping down on September 14, 2026, after serving in the role since 2019. The announcement came on August 12, according to Reddit’s official statement. Cappuccio will report directly to Steve Huffman, Reddit’s founder and CEO, and bring extensive experience navigating complex legal landscapes at major media companies.
Cappuccio spent nearly two decades as general counsel first at AOL and then at Time Warner, where he managed worldwide legal functions at one of the world’s largest media companies. He has also served on the boards of public companies including Chipotle Mexican Grill and Central European Media Enterprises, and practiced as a partner at law firms Kirkland & Ellis and Torridon Law.
Benjamin Lee’s departure marks the end of a significant tenure during a transformative period for Reddit. Lee guided the company through its 2024 initial public offering and created Reddit’s Public Content Policy, which established the framework for protecting user data and responsibly licensing content from the platform. During his seven years as CLO, Lee navigated the platform’s expansion and the evolving regulatory environment around social media.
Cappuccio’s appointment reflects Reddit’s effort to strengthen its legal leadership as the company faces mounting regulatory scrutiny. Reddit has contended with privacy challenges, including a significant fine from the UK Information Commissioner’s Office in February 2026 for alleged failures to comply with children’s privacy protections. The platform also faces content moderation and licensing complexities as it scales its business model and handles user-generated content across thousands of communities.
Steve Huffman said in the announcement that Cappuccio has “the experience and judgment to help us navigate this shifting landscape” as Reddit continues to grow. The broader trend toward experienced legal leadership in tech reflects industry-wide pressure: according to research from BarkerGilmore, the role of Chief Legal Officer has become increasingly central to corporate strategy, with CLOs now reporting directly to CEOs at a record 84 percent of companies, up from historical norms where general counsel held less visible positions.
Cappuccio holds degrees from Georgetown University (summa cum laude) and Harvard Law School (magna cum laude), where he earned a Sears Prize and served on the Harvard Law Review. In his statement, he said he was “thrilled to join at such an exciting time in the company’s journey, and look forward to supporting Reddit’s continued growth while protecting what makes it special.”
Sources
- Reddit Inc. — Official announcement of Paul Cappuccio’s appointment as Chief Legal Officer, Benjamin Lee’s departure date, and both executives’ backgrounds and statements.
- BarkerGilmore — Research on the rise of the Chief Legal Officer title and the trend of CLOs reporting directly to CEOs at 84 percent of companies.
- Taylor Hampton — Reporting on Reddit’s February 2026 UK privacy fine related to children’s data protection compliance.
