Dana Strong to Succeed Jeremy Darroch as Sky CEO

Jeremy Darroch has decided to step down as group CEO of Sky after 13 years leading the company, with Dana Strong tapped as his successor.

Darroch is one of the longest-serving leaders of a major British company, having been CEO of Sky since 2007 and group CFO before that since 2004. He will become executive chairman through 2021 to ensure a smooth transition and will then act as an advisor to the company.

Strong most recently served as president of consumer services for Comcast Cable, the largest broadband and TV provider in the U.S. with nearly 33 million customer relationships. Strong was previously president and COO of Virgin Media in the U.K., chief transformation officer of Liberty Global as well as CEO of UPC Ireland and COO of AUSTAR in Australia. She will be reporting to Comcast Chairman and CEO Brian L. Roberts.

Roberts said: “I would like to thank Jeremy for his exceptional leadership of the company over thirteen years, and his partnership in the last two years since we acquired Sky. Sky’s values have been a perfect fit for ours at Comcast and that is very much due to Jeremy. He and his team have built a world-class brand and a strong, well-run business that will continue to flourish.

“Jeremy has been a terrific colleague to me and everyone at Sky, but I respect his decision that now is the time for him to make a change. I am pleased that he’s agreed to stay on to help with the transition to new leadership, and will continue to advise me and the company.
I am delighted that Dana Strong will be taking the helm at Sky.

“Dana is an accomplished executive with an extraordinary ability to transform, inspire, and drive positive change. She quickly made her mark on our US business, driving growth and innovation with an unwavering commitment to our customers. Her global experience and vision coupled with her leadership and track record at some of the largest media and telecommunications companies in the world make her the perfect leader for Sky.”

Darroch said: “It has been a privilege to lead Sky for 13 years, and an experience that I have looked forward to every day, so the decision to leave has not been easy. But with the business firmly settled into the wider Comcast Corporation and a strong plan in place, now is the right time. I feel incredibly lucky to have been surrounded by colleagues who care as deeply as I do about this business and our customers and work tirelessly every day to make their lives better. I would like to thank all of my colleagues at Sky and also Brian and the team at Comcast who I have thoroughly enjoyed working with.

“I am proud of the business we have built together. We are winning in all our markets, with a strong brand, exceptional products and services, and high levels of customer and employee satisfaction. We have an outstanding and experienced leadership team who I know will continue to evolve the business in the years to come. Together we have always seen the bigger picture at Sky, and I am particularly proud that Sky was an early corporate pioneer in helping to tackle environmental issues, using our reach and influence as a major media company with a presence in millions of homes to mobilize action on the environment.

“I have always believed that successful, sustainable businesses have a vital role to support thriving communities and can contribute much more to wider society. This thought has guided me through the last 13 years at Sky and will continue to so in whatever I do next. I have no doubt that Dana will take Sky into a new and exciting future. Her proven record for leading telecommunications and media businesses coupled with her experience in the U.S., U.K. and Europe will be great assets to Sky and I look forward to working with her as she takes the reins.”

Strong said: “There are few businesses that have the track record of Sky, and I am delighted to have the opportunity to lead the company. I’ve always admired Sky’s innovation, brand, and exceptional focus on the customer. I look forward to working with this incredible team to continue to grow the business and shape the next chapter for Sky.”