WarnerMedia has announced that it has concluded its search for a new CEO and named Ann Sarnoff to the position of Warner Bros. CEO.
Sarnoff has more than thirty years of business and media experience and has been serving as thePresident, BBC Studios Americas, and she also served as the co-founder and Board Chair of BritBox.
“I am delighted Ann is joining the WarnerMedia team and excited to work side by side with such a talented and accomplished individual. She brings a consistent and proven track record of innovation, creativity and business results to lead an incredibly successful studio to its next chapter of growth,” said WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey. “Ann has shown the ability to innovate and grow revenues and has embraced the evolution taking place in our industry. I am confident she will be a great cultural fit for WarnerMedia and that our employees will embrace her leadership, enthusiasm and passion for our business.”
“It is a privilege to join a studio with such a storied history. Warner Bros. has been an industry leader for decades and is known for creating many of the most iconic film, television and gaming properties,” said Sarnoff. “I accept this position excited by the opportunity to work with the most accomplished executives and teams in media, and confident about carrying this incredible heritage forward with them.”
“Ann’s contribution to BBC Studios has been immense,” said Tim Davie, CEO BBC Studios. “She has grown our core business as well as driving significant innovation, including the successful creation of BritBox, the growth of BBC America alongside our partner AMCN, the launch of new channels like BBC Earth in Canada, and major new content and production deals. We will miss her generosity and her spirit of collaboration, and we wish her great success at Warner Bros.”
The naming of Sarnoff as CEO follows the ousting of Kevin Tsujihara earlier this year amidst scandal. Tsuihara was replaced in the interim by Toby Emmerich, Charman of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group; Peter Roth, Warner Bros. Television Group President and CCO; Kim Williams, Warner Bros. Entertainment CFO. “I want to thank Toby, Peter and Kim for stepping up during this transition and making sure Warner Bros. didn’t miss a beat. Their commitment to delivering operationally and creatively is evident in our results over the last several months. It’s clear that Ann becomes part of a team that is second-to-none,” said Stankey.
Sarnoff will officially assume her duties later this summer.
