21st Century Fox elevates Lachlan and James Murdoch

Lachlan has been appointed Non-Executive Co-Chairman, and James will be Co-Chief Operating Officer. James has been leading the growth of Star Network in India and Asia

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Delhi | March 28, 2014

(Left) James Murdoch and Lachlan Murdoch (Right)

21st Century Fox has announced that the Board has appointed Lachlan Murdoch as Non-Executive Co-Chairman and James Murdoch has been elevated to Co-Chief Operating Officer. The announcement was jointly made by Rupert Murdoch, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer; Chase Carey, President and Chief Operating Officer; and the 21st Century Fox Board of Directors.

Rupert Murdoch said, "Lachlan is a strategic and talented executive with a rich knowledge of our businesses. From 1994 to 2007, Lachlan's executive career at the company spanned the globe, culminating as Deputy Chief Operating Officer responsible for the group's most important publishing businesses in addition to its vast US television station holdings.  I'm very pleased he is returning to a leadership role at the company, where he will work closely with me, Chase, James, and the rest of the Board of Directors to drive continued growth for years to come.”

He continued, “We are pleased to elevate James into this important role alongside my partner and trusted advisor Chase Carey. I'm confident James and Chase will continue to make a great team during this time of immense opportunity. James has done an outstanding job driving our global television businesses and our shareholders, customers, and colleagues will benefit greatly from his many talents.  This company has never been better positioned to capitalise on the increased global demand for quality storytelling and news, and our collective future has never been brighter.”

As Non-Executive Co-Chairman, Lachlan Murdoch will work closely with senior management and the rest of the 21st Century Fox Board in developing global strategies and guiding the overall corporate agenda. He will divide his time between Sydney and New York.

As Co-Chief Operating Officer, James Murdoch will partner with Chase Carey to set the strategic direction and drive momentum across the company's global portfolio of assets. In this capacity, he will have direct responsibility for Fox Networks Group, which will now report to him. He will also have direct responsibility for the strategic and operational development of the company's owned and controlled interests in the pay-television Sky and Star services in Europe and Asia, respectively. He will continue to report to Chase Carey.

In addition to these appointments, the company also announced that Peter Rice, Chairman and CEO, Fox Networks Group, has agreed to extend his employment agreement.

Lachlan Murdoch, age 42, is currently a Director of 21st Century Fox and News Corp, Executive Chairman of NOVA Entertainment Group, Executive Chairman of Illyria Pty Ltd, and a Director of Sydney's Museum of Contemporary Art. Until recently, he also served as Non-Executive Chairman of Ten Network Holdings. Under his leadership, NOVA Entertainment Group has become Australia's number one national FM network.

Prior to founding Illyria in 2005, a successful private investment company, Lachlan Murdoch was the Deputy Chief Operating Officer of the Company (formerly known as News Corporation), a role in which he was directly responsible for two-thirds of the company's global revenue with specific emphasis on its US television stations group and publishing assets.

While at the former News Corporation, he had oversight of HarperCollins and the company's lines of business in Australia, including REA. He also served on the Board of Foxtel and as Chairman of Fox Television Stations and as Publisher of the New York Post. At Fox Television Stations, Lachlan oversaw the company's 35 owned-and-operated television stations, where he raised the bar on local news coverage across the nation, increasing the total number of local news hours across the group to more than 850 per week. At the New York Post, he overhauled the tabloid and grew its circulation by more than 40 per cent. During his tenure, the Post became the nation's fastest growing newspaper and the seventh largest in the US.

James Murdoch, age 41, serves as a Director of both 21st Century Fox and News Corp. Prior to his current management role, James served as 21st Century Fox's Deputy Chief Operating Officer and Chairman and CEO, International, and played an integral role in managing the separation of the company into two distinct companies.

James is a key driver in the company's domestic and international channel expansion, from the creation of Sky Deutschland and Sky Italia, serving both as Chairman, to the renewed and continued leadership of Star India, India's number one entertainment broadcaster. Prior to his posts at 21st Century Fox, he was BSkyB's Chief Executive Officer from 2003 to 2007, and its Chairman from 2007 until 2012. During his tenure at BSkyB, the company experienced transformative growth, having amassed more than 10 million subscribers, and created a full-service residential media and telecommunications company – a leader in all its markets.

From 2000 to 2003, James was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Star, 21st Century Fox's Asian satellite television group. Under his leadership, Star established itself as the premier content and broadcasting company in India, South Asia and Taiwan.

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