“I might be the only CEO in America who likes running something smaller than something bigger, because it gives me a chance to be in-depth with customers,” said Meg Whitman upon her step down from HP as CEO. Whitman lived up to her word as she is set to become CEO of NewTV on March 1.
NewTV is part of Katzenberg’s WndrCo holding company, which was created in 2017 to invest in and develop startups that are focused on digital media. NewTV is a mobile-first media platform incubated at WndrCo and founded by Jeffrey Katzenberg. NewTV will bring the highest quality Hollywood-style productions to mobile platforms, in bite-sized formats of 10 minutes or less. NewTV is headquartered in Los Angeles.
“Meg is one of the most accomplished and sought-after executives of our time. She has built and scaled some of the most important global companies today,” Katzenberg said in a statement. “Her leadership, operational expertise, and deep understanding of technology and consumer behavior will be invaluable in creating the future of mobile entertainment.”
NewTV is one of the most disruptive and timely ideas I’ve come across during my career,” said Whitman. “I share Jeffrey’s vision that top-quality programming tailored to our mobile lifestyles is the next big touchpoint in entertainment. I’m very excited to bring my experience to a company that I believe will transform an industry, and I am thrilled to be employee #1.”
Whitman’s new role at NewTV also, for the time being, ends speculation that she was considering running for the 2020 Presidential election. While much has not been discussed about her role at the new firm, or what her duties and responsibilities will be, we can certainly say that her diverse experience in tech and media spanning over 30 years will be immensely valuable to NewTV.
