[exreddit]

The board at the time was I think Yishan, Alexis, and someone from Advanced. Maybe Sam Altman. Ellen Pao was the natural choice because she had the most business experience of all the staff, but it wasn't the right experience. She was always more of an investor, and she got her job there by investing money in reddit and asking for a job in return. She headed up BD and what turned into reddit labs for a while. She built up a reddit labs team, but they never found the next big thing for the company.

Part of the API drama goes back to her time doing BD, making partnerships with apps, and possibly buying apps.

I doubt there was a master plan to making her CEO, but I believe Alexis's line was "it's her job to lose." At the end of the day, she was bad at making friends, was an awkward fit for the company, and was more experienced in politics and climbing the ladder than running a company.

Good background on her: https://www.vanityfair.com/style/scandal/2013/03/buddy-fletc...