Ann Sarnoff Named New Chair & CEO of Warner Bros.

June 24, 2019 Kristin Brzoznowski
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Ann Sarnoff, currently the president of BBC Studios Americas, has been appointed as the new chair and CEO of Warner Bros.

She will be overseeing worldwide operations at Warner Bros., including the production, marketing and distribution of film, television and interactive entertainment.

“I am delighted Ann is joining the WarnerMedia team and excited to work side by side with such a talented and accomplished individual,” said WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey. “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. 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.”

As president of BBC Studios Americas, Sarnoff has been responsible for driving growth and profit across the company’s business division in the U.S., Canada and Latin America. She oversaw L.A. Productions, linear and digital program sales and co-productions, home entertainment and licensing. As board chair of BritBox, Sarnoff has led the development and growth of the direct-to-consumer service.

Sarnoff will be based in Los Angeles and will officially join the company later this summer.

“Ann’s contribution to BBC Studios has been immense,” said Tim Davie, CEO of 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.”

Former Warner Bros. Chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara was ousted in March after an investigation into sexual misconduct allegations. During the leadership transition, Warner Bros. was managed by an interim team of leaders made up of Toby Emmerich, chairman of Warner Bros. Pictures Group; Peter Roth, president and chief content officer of Warner Bros. Television Group; and Kim Williams, executive VP and CFO of Warner Bros.

“I want to thank Toby, Peter and Kim for stepping up during this transition and making sure Warner Bros. didn’t miss a beat,” Stankey added. “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.”