Bill Nelson, CEO of HBO, is retiring at the end of the year after almost 30 years at the cable network. HBO announced Thursday (Sept. 20) that current co-president Richard Plepler (pictured above) will succeed Nelson as chief executive.
"Bill and I have worked together for many, many years and though I'm sad to see him leave, I respect his decision to enjoy retirement. He is a world-class CEO and leaves the company well-positioned for the future," says Jeff Bewkes, chairman and CEO of Time Warner Inc., in a statement.
Nelson adds, "HBO has been my home for almost 30 years so this decision was an emotional one. With my elevation to CEO more than five years ago, we set an ambitious agenda for HBO, and I'm proud to say that I feel the company has never been in better shape financially or creatively."
Eric Kessler, another co-president, has been promoted to president and chief operating officer.
"Bill and I have worked together for many, many years and though I'm sad to see him leave, I respect his decision to enjoy retirement. He is a world-class CEO and leaves the company well-positioned for the future," says Jeff Bewkes, chairman and CEO of Time Warner Inc., in a statement.
Nelson adds, "HBO has been my home for almost 30 years so this decision was an emotional one. With my elevation to CEO more than five years ago, we set an ambitious agenda for HBO, and I'm proud to say that I feel the company has never been in better shape financially or creatively."
Eric Kessler, another co-president, has been promoted to president and chief operating officer.
- 9/20/2012
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Zap2It - From Inside the Box
This is the most significant management change at HBO since 2007, when Bill Nelson was tapped to replace Chris Albrecht and oversee a team of three co-presidents: Richard Plepler, Eric Kessler, and Hal Akselrad. Plepler's appointment, putting him in charge of programming, was most surprising at the time. He had run the company's public relations -- not a typical training ground for such a big job. Now he'll run a business that's considered a success for Time Warner.
- 9/20/2012
- by deadline.com
- Huffington Post
This is the most significant management change at HBO since 2007, when Bill Nelson was tapped to replace Chris Albrecht and oversee a team of three co-presidents: Richard Plepler, Eric Kessler, and Hal Akselrad. Plepler's appointment, putting him in charge of programming, was most surprising at the time. He had run the company's public relations -- not a typical training ground for such a big job. Now he'll run a business that's considered a success for Time Warner.
- 9/20/2012
- by deadline.com
- Huffington Post
HBO CEO Bill Nelson announced on Thursday he would retire and Richard Plepler would take his place as chief executive at the end of the year. Under the new management structure, Eric Kessler (left) will serve as President and COO and Michael Lombardo (below right) will serve as President, Programming. Until Thursday's announcement, Plepler (at right, above, with Nelson) had been co-president with Kessler. He is a long-time trusted deputy of Time-Warner CEO Jeff Bewkes who has led the premium cable network to a strong financial and creative position since the departure...
- 9/20/2012
- by Sharon Waxman
- The Wrap
HBO chief executive Bill Nelson is stepping down at the year’s end. Richard Plepler will be elevated from co-president to CEO, with Eric Kessler and Michael Lombardo serving as president/COO and president of programming, respectively. As part of the new management structure, both Kessler and Lombardo will report to Plepler, a multi-decade veteran of the premium cable channel. “HBO has been my home for almost 30 years, so this decision was an emotional one,” said Nelson, who replaced ousted CEO Chris Albrecht in 2007. During Nelson's tenure as chief executive, HBO has posted record revenue and profits as well
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- 9/20/2012
- by Lacey Rose, Marisa Guthrie
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
This is the most significant management change at HBO since 2007, when Bill Nelson was tapped to replace Chris Albrecht and oversee a team of three co-presidents: Richard Plepler, Eric Kessler, and Hal Akselrad. Plepler’s appointment, putting him in charge of programming, was most surprising at the time. He had run the company’s public relations — not a typical training ground for such a big job. Now he’ll run a business that’s considered a success for Time Warner. But it also faces growing challenges as pay TV subscriptions stall, rivals including Showtime produce the kinds of attention-grabbing original shows that used to separate HBO from the pack, and digital streaming providers led by Netflix compete for TV viewers who are willing to spend an extra $10 or so a month for additional programming. Kessler becomes COO in addition to President. (Akselrad left in 2008.) Michael Lombardo will remain President, Programming.
- 9/20/2012
- by DAVID LIEBERMAN, Executive Editor
- Deadline TV
Emmys Live-Blog; Emmys By The Numbers; Backstage At The Emmys; Emmy Analysis: Broadcast TV’s Big Awards Comeback Updated: The who’s who from the small-screen world were all dressed up for TV’s biggest night. A look at the movers and shakers. (Photos by Lysa Nalin Studios) Time Warner’s Jeffrey Bewkes, left, and HBO’s Richard Plepler Left: Warner Bros TV Group’s Bruce Rosenblum with wife Andie Right: ABC-Disney’s Anne Sweeney and husband Phil Miller 20th Century Fox TV’s Dana Walden, second from left, with husband Matt, and Gary Newman, right, with wife, attorney Jeanne Newman Left: CBS TV Studios’ David Stapf and wife Tami; Right: Warner Bros TV’s Peter Roth and wife Andrea Left: The CW’s Mark Pedowitz and wife Carolyn Martin; Right: NBC’s Bob Greenblatt and Richard Licata HBO’s Eric Kessler, Bill Nelson and Michael Lombardo Read More »...
- 9/19/2011
- by THE DEADLINE TEAM
- Deadline TV
New York -- "Digital is good for media," if managed well, Time Warner chairman and CEO Jeff Bewkes said here Thursday in opening the conglomerates' first investor day in years.
Speaking at the Time Warner Center in midtown Manhattan, he also argued that the piracy threat in the film business "seems to be stabilized" thanks to global regulatory progress and new and attractive content offers. "It's a very different outlook than a few years ago," he concluded.
Overall, Tw's businesses are not hurting badly from piracy, he assured Wall Street folks. "Film and TV and magazines aren't the music business," Bewkes told a crowded conference room full of investors and analysts.
The CEO once again reiterated that Tw wants to marry creative and financial success by being "the leading global content company," while also delivering "superior" returns to stockholders.
Bewkes and Cfo nm2797045 autoJohn Martin[/link] highlighted the strong double-digit returns...
Speaking at the Time Warner Center in midtown Manhattan, he also argued that the piracy threat in the film business "seems to be stabilized" thanks to global regulatory progress and new and attractive content offers. "It's a very different outlook than a few years ago," he concluded.
Overall, Tw's businesses are not hurting badly from piracy, he assured Wall Street folks. "Film and TV and magazines aren't the music business," Bewkes told a crowded conference room full of investors and analysts.
The CEO once again reiterated that Tw wants to marry creative and financial success by being "the leading global content company," while also delivering "superior" returns to stockholders.
Bewkes and Cfo nm2797045 autoJohn Martin[/link] highlighted the strong double-digit returns...
- 5/27/2010
- by By Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The new regime at HBO was announced Tuesday by parent company Time Warner Inc., which appointed Bill Nelson chairman and CEO.
Nelson, who was named interim CEO last month after the departure of Chris Albrecht, will lead a restructured management team. HBO vets <Harold Akselrad, Eric Kessler and Richard Plepler were elevated to the newly created positions of HBO co-presidents.
Time Warner president and COO Jeff Bewkes noted that HBO was reverting to a management style not unlike when he ran the network during the 1990s, when the CEO was not focused on creative aspects.
"HBO has sometimes had a CEO from programming and sometimes someone like me that wasn't," he said. "Bill is a natural leader that everyone here trusts."
As expected, HBO also announced the promotion of Michael Lombardo to president of the programming group and West Coast operations (HR 6/4). He reports to Plepler, who will be the top exec on the programming side.
The elevation of Nelson, who has been COO at HBO since 2000, was no surprise to insiders, who all along expected the job to remain internal. There was some speculation that a second exec would join him as a joint CEO.
Nelson's previous duties will be redistributed among the other three executives.
Nelson, who was named interim CEO last month after the departure of Chris Albrecht, will lead a restructured management team. HBO vets <Harold Akselrad, Eric Kessler and Richard Plepler were elevated to the newly created positions of HBO co-presidents.
Time Warner president and COO Jeff Bewkes noted that HBO was reverting to a management style not unlike when he ran the network during the 1990s, when the CEO was not focused on creative aspects.
"HBO has sometimes had a CEO from programming and sometimes someone like me that wasn't," he said. "Bill is a natural leader that everyone here trusts."
As expected, HBO also announced the promotion of Michael Lombardo to president of the programming group and West Coast operations (HR 6/4). He reports to Plepler, who will be the top exec on the programming side.
The elevation of Nelson, who has been COO at HBO since 2000, was no surprise to insiders, who all along expected the job to remain internal. There was some speculation that a second exec would join him as a joint CEO.
Nelson's previous duties will be redistributed among the other three executives.
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