DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Comcast president Cavanagh shakes up NBCUniversal leadership
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Cavanagh, who has been running NBCUniversal since April, said he would continue to lead the division as president of Comcast and not name a new CEO. In his first major action since taking the helm of the unit, Cavanagh also named Mark Lazarus as chairman of NBCUniversal Media Group while Cesar Conde will expand his role as head of the news division to oversee NBCUniversal Local and Telemundo Enterprises Group. Pearlena Igbokwe will continue to lead the four TV studios under the Universal Studio Group umbrella. Cavanagh took charge after Jeff Shell left following the acknowledgment of an inappropriate relationship with a woman in the company. Before his role as president, Cavanagh had served as the finance chief.

Persons: Mike Cavanagh, Donna Langley, Cavanagh, Mark Lazarus, Cesar Conde, Pearlena Igbokwe, Jeff Shell, Akash Sriram, Tanya Jain, Dawn Chmielewski, Sriraj Organizations: NBCUniversal, Group, Reuters, Comcast, NBCUniversal Media, NBCUniversal Local, Telemundo Enterprises Group, Universal Studio Group, Thomson Locations: Bengaluru, Dawn, Los Angeles

Other executives who will remain on Mr. Cavanagh’s leadership team include Cesar Conde, chairman of NBCUniversal News Group, who will gain oversight of Telemundo and NBC’s local stations, and Mark Woodbury, the company’s parks chief. Mr. Cavanagh is essentially winnowing the number of executives who report directly to him, streamlining the company’s leadership ranks. He will also continue to work directly with Adam Miller, an executive vice president overseeing operations and technology as well as communications, human resources and corporate social responsibility; Kim Harris, the company’s general counsel; Anand Kini, NBCUniversal’s chief financial officer; and Craig Robinson, executive vice president and chief diversity officer. The promotions were the first major step taken by Mr. Cavanagh since he took over leadership of the company. Its previous chief executive, Jeff Shell, stepped down after an investigation into sexual harassment.

Persons: Mike Cavanagh, Cavanagh, Donna Langley, Mark Lazarus, Cavanagh’s, Cesar Conde, Mark Woodbury, Adam Miller, Kim Harris, Anand Kini, Craig Robinson, Jeff Shell Organizations: NBCUniversal News, Telemundo

This year, advertisers and ad agencies may well use the strike as a bargaining tool, said Erin Firneno, vice president of business intelligence for researcher Advertiser Perceptions. The writers’ strike, which has entered its third week, is also injecting a new element of uncertainty for ad buyers, at a time when television viewership is declining and the possibility of recession looms. While the TV networks have long contended with splintered viewership amid the rise of social media and streaming, the writers' strike puts content production at risk, said Rishad Tobaccowala, a former executive at advertising and public relations giant Publicis Groupe and advisor on business transformation. Last year, NBC’s upfront presentation emphasized star power as the network returned to a live event after a COVID-19-imposed hiatus. Ahead of the upfront presentations, media executives sought to reassure investors about the strike’s impact.

The departure of ads chief Linda Yaccarino to Twitter has thrown NBCU into chaos. The exit comes on the heels of the departure of NBCU CEO Jeff Shell after sexual harassment allegations. One advertising executive who works closely with NBCUniversal described the situation inside the company as a "Cuban missile crisis." NBCU does have a deep bench of ad executive talent that's highly regarded in the ad industry. Although Yaccarino's departure from NBCUniversal to Twitter was a surprise, she had been close with the company and its billionaire owner.

☆ Inside NBCUniversal, female execs are eyeing leadership's next moves after CEO Jeff Shell's ouster over 'inappropriate relationship': 'We're watching'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

NBCUniversal insiders are reeling after chief Jeff Shell's stunning departure and asking questions about what's next for the Comcast division. News of Shell's hasty exit dropped April 23 after an investigation into what he called an "inappropriate relationship" with a company employee. "It's shocking," said one employee, wondering how an executive at Shell's level would take such a risk with his career. Two staffers also grumbled that the company hasn't widely addressed the matter internally since its terse statement announcing Shell's exit. Keeping Cavanagh atop NBCU could serve another purpose — to help bring about a merger of Comcast with Warner Bros.

☆ NBCUniversal insiders are asking what's next after CEO Jeff Shell's 'shocking' exit, and female execs are watching leadership closely after a string of high-profile sexual allegations
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

They're asking what Comcast exec Mike Cavanagh's elevation to handle Shell's remit means for NBCU's future. NBCUniversal insiders are reeling after chief Jeff Shell's stunning departure and asking questions about what's next for the Comcast division. News of Shell's hasty exit dropped Sunday after an investigation into what he called an "inappropriate relationship" with a company employee. "It's shocking," said one employee, wondering how an executive at Shell's level would take such a risk with his career. Keeping Cavanagh atop NBCU could serve another purpose — to help bring about a merger of Comcast with Warner Bros.

☆ NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell exits after an 'inappropriate relationship,' shocking insiders, and Comcast won't rush to replace him as corporate exec Mike Cavanagh steps up
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-24 | by ( Claire Atkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell's exit shocked company insiders and all of Hollywood. NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell's bombshell departure on Sunday night was a surprise to the well-regarded executive and also to his closest colleagues. Deadline reported that Shell's relationship was with CNBC's senior international correspondent, Hadley Gamble, which lasted 11 years but had ended a couple of years ago. "Comcast is as buttoned-up and straight as ever — this is a black eye for Brian Roberts," the Comcast CEO. A second company insider, however, said that Cavanagh is expected to remain in the role for some time.

One of the really interesting questions here – this will be fascinating – the core of linear TV is sports rights. When you look at the size and scope of the linear TV business, it's huge. Patrick T. Fallon | Afp | Getty ImagesByron Allen, Entertainment Studios founder and CEO: I think linear TV will exist for a very, very long time. Simmons: I believe Apple, out of nowhere, will start making their own awesome televisions that have Apple TV embedded in them. We are witnessing early stages of this dynamic with deals like "NFL Sunday Ticket" on YouTube and the MLS deal with Apple TV.

Search resuls for: "Mark Lazarus"

8 mentions found