Prior to WarnerMedia, Sarnoff worked as an executive at Viacom, Dow Jones, WNBA and BBC Studios Americas.
Ann Sarnoff, chief executive officer of WarnerMedia Studios and Networks Group, will leave the company, as it is set to merge with Discovery.
Sarnoff will be departing her current role effective at the closing of the proposed combination of Discovery, Inc. and WarnerMedia, forming the combined company, Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.
Sarnoff, formerly president of BBC Studios Americas, was named to the role of Warner Bros. chief in June 2019 as the Dallas-based AT&T aimed to find a successor to Kevin Tsujihara. Sarnoff became the first female CEO of Warner Bros. in the Burbank studio’s history and also oversaw a portfolio that includes HBO Max, DC, Warner Bros. TV, linear channels like TNT and TBS, along with consumer products units and studio operations.
In a statement, David Zaslav, incoming CEO of the newly named firm, Warner Bros. Discovery, said: “I want to thank Ann for all of her leadership during a transformational period for the company and our industry. She has been a passionate and committed steward of the world’s most formidable creative engine and has led with integrity, focus and hard work in bringing WarnerMedia’s businesses, brands and workforce closer together.”
Warner Bros. noted in a statement that Sarnoff’s role will not be filled with an exact replacement when the combined firm unveils its new leadership after the deal officially closes in April. As Zaslav looks to hit the ground running at Warner Bros. Discovery, speculation has intensified about which executives may be enlisted to be his top lieutenants.
