AT&T Hires Sarnoff to Head Warner Bros.

AT&T’s WarnerMedia unit said it named BBC Studios Americas president Ann Sarnoff as chair and CEO of Warner Bros.

Sarnoff succeeds Kevin Tsujihara, who left after it was discovered that he’d been trying movie roles for a woman he was having an affair with.

Tsujihara is one of several top executives who have left the company after AT&T acquired Time Warner.

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 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.”

After Tsujihara’s departure, Warner Bros. was managed by an interim team of leaders made up of Toby Emmerich, chairman, Warner Bros. Pictures Group; Peter Roth, president and chief content officer, Warner Bros. Television Group; and Kim Williams, executive VP & chief financial officer, Warner Bros.

Jon Lafayette

Jon has been business editor of Broadcasting+Cable since 2010. He focuses on revenue-generating activities, including advertising and distribution, as well as executive intrigue and merger and acquisition activity. Just about any story is fair game, if a dollar sign can make its way into the article. Before B+C, Jon covered the industry for TVWeek, Cable World, Electronic Media, Advertising Age and The New York Post. A native New Yorker, Jon is hiding in plain sight in the suburbs of Chicago.