Statement from BBG on CEO and Director Andrew Lack
The Broadcasting Board of Governors announced today that CEO and Director Andrew Lack will be departing the agency. The agency will now begin work to attract an equally talented executive to help continue to transform our agency.
Andrew Lack was a strong choice to serve as the BBG’s first CEO and Director. He has a passion for our work, appreciation for our history and understanding of the importance of our mission.
Over the last 18 months, under the leadership of a highly accomplished media executive Jeff Shell and his fellow board members, the agency has addressed fundamental challenges and made a significant turnaround.
Noteworthy achievements include:
- Streamlining structure to handle Board business, to focus on core issues of strategic concern and to address underlying inefficiencies;
- Driving the news agenda in places where free expression is restricted, including audience gains in China (+2M), Iran (+2.1M), Russia (+1.6M) and Cambodia (+700K);
- Countering extremism with key investments to increase unbiased news and information with 43.9% of adults in Iraq consuming BBG content on a weekly basis;
- Transitioning to a new contract management system to dramatically increase efficiencies and be a better business partner;
- Expanding distribution on a network of FM stations, digital platforms and satellite TV – media platforms many audiences prefer resulting in an all-time high audience of 215 million people in 2014;
- Moving to an open-space office design saving $2.6 million in rental costs while improving workplace technology and flexibility; and
- Improving transparency and coordination with BBG-sponsored networks.
With this strong foundation from which to move forward, the agency has never been on a better footing to accomplish our mission.
The Broadcasting Board of Governors now has a cohesive governing board, made up of media and communications industry leaders, and foreign policy experts, who will continue to lead the agency at this time of pressing need.
BBG’s Director of Global Operations André Mendes will serve as interim CEO and Director while a search is conducted for Lack’s replacement. He will be supported by a strong team including Robert Bole, Director of Global Strategy and Suzie Carroll, Executive Director.
We will benefit from Andy’s observations and thoughts, based on his time with us, on how to move the agency forward as a world-class multimedia news organization.
The Board is consulting now on next steps to fill the CEO vacancy and has great confidence in the current management of BBG who, along with all the talented employees at the agency, have done a tremendous amount to achieve our goals.