Warner Bros. on Monday tapped BBC Studios Americas president Ann Sarnoff as its new chair and CEO, the first woman to lead the studio in its nearly 100-year history.
She will oversee worldwide operations at Warner Bros., including the production, marketing and distribution of film, television and interactive entertainment, when she officially joins the company this summer.
“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,” Sarnoff said in a statement. “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.”{mosads}
Variety noted that Sarnoff, a Hollywood outsider, has past executive experience working for Dow Jones, the WNBA and Viacom.
She joins the entertainment company at a turbulent time following the abrupt departure of chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara in March after he was accused of helping a woman he purportedly had a sexual relationship with get auditions.
“Kevin acknowledges that his mistakes are inconsistent with the company’s leadership expectations and could impact the company’s ability to execute going forward,” John Stankey, chief executive of Warner Bros. parent company WarnerMedia, said in a statement while announcing Tsujihara’s ouster.