Robert Thomson, a close confidante of Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch for decades, has been re-upped as CEO of News Corp. for another five years, through June 2030.
The exec has overseen the media company, whose portfolio spans print, digital and book publishing, since 2013. Among the subsidiaries of News Corp. are the Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones and HarperCollins.
While News Corp. and corporate sibling Fox Corp., parent of the Fox broadcast network and Fox News, have long been separate, the Murdochs explored a merger a couple of years ago but it drew resistance from some influential shareholders. The effort was formally abandoned in 2023.
“Robert has been instrumental in News Corp’s growth and transformation, and his vision and leadership are extremely important as the company continues to navigate this era of rapid change,” said News Corp Chair Lachlan Murdoch. “Robert has created exceptional shareholder value, orchestrated a meaningful transformation of our asset base, and made strategic investments in growth drivers like Dow Jones, Digital Real Estate Services and Book Publishing. He is a crucial voice in the fight for publishers and journalists in the digital age, and a strong advocate for intellectual property rights. I look forward to his continued leadership.”
Among Thomson’s accomplishments as CEO, he has recently shepherded the company to its four most profitable years. He also steered the sale of Foxtel to DAZN last April and forged pacts with a number of tech platforms, notably OpenAI.
“Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch have adroitly sculpted a company that is passionate and principled and purposeful, and it is a profound privilege to serve as chief executive,” Thomson said. “For journalists, for authors, for society, for those who strive and aspire, these are times of immense challenge and boundless opportunity. Our leadership team is acutely conscious of an unwavering responsibility to our shareholders, and we are grateful for the sterling efforts of all our colleagues as we pursue profitability and seek to realize our vast potential.”
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