Warner Bros hires Ann Sarnoff, its first woman CEO, after Kevin Tsujihara's misconduct scandal
Warner Bros. has just hired its very first female CEO.
BBC Studios Americas President Ann Sarnoff on Monday was announced as the new head of the studio, becoming the first woman tapped for that position since Warner Bros. was founded in 1923, Variety and The Hollywood Reporter report.
Sarnoff's hiring comes three months after Kevin Tsujihara resigned as CEO following allegations in The Hollywood Reporter that he had an affair with an actress, Charlotte Kirk, whose career he promised to help advance. At the time, Kirk denied that Tsujihara ever "promised me anything" and said she has "no claim" of inappropriate behavior on his part. Tsujihara apologized for "mistakes in my personal life" and stepped down in March after saying he had thought about how "my past actions might impact the company's future."
In a statement, WarnerMedia CEO John Stankey praised Sarnoff and said she will "lead an incredibly successful studio to its next chapter of growth." Deadline notes that although the company during its search had been "set to bring in a prominent female in that position," Sarnoff's pick came as a "complete surprise."