CNN names former New York Times CEO Mark Thompson as its chief

CNN has appointed Mark Thompson as president and chief executive officer, effective in early 2021. Thompson, the former chief executive of The New York Times Company, will succeed current president and CEO Jeff Zucker, who has led the network since 2013. Thompson has more than 30 years of experience in media, beginning with BBC in 1994. Most recently he was the president and CEO of The New York Times Company, where he led digital transformation and drove innovation in content and product development. At BBC, he was widely regarded as a leader in technological advancement in news and digital media. During his tenure at the Times, Thompson led a global expansion that was built off of the Times' strong roots in journalism, including launching NYT Opinion, NYT Now, The Daily and NYT Cooking. He also implemented new plans for monetization, emphasizing subscriber growth, driving digital subscriptions to over 5 million. Throughout his career, Thompson has been lauded for his accomplishments in media and innovation, and for his commitment to ethical and responsible journalism. He is a recipient of the prestigious U.K. Effies Award and was the Guardian’s Media Executive of the Year in 2011. At CNN, Thompson will bring his background and understanding of media, news and global operations to bear in executing the strategy and transformation needed to succeed in today’s rapidly changing environment.