Christina Miller, president of WarnerMedia’s Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Boomerang and TCM, announced Wednesday that she will be stepping down from her post at the end of the year in an internal memo to staff.
“This is not a decision I came to lightly,” said Miller, who has spent almost 15 years with the company in various leadership roles. “It’s one of the hardest I’ve had to make in my career. Ultimately, it feels like the right time for me to leave and take a little time to think about what comes next, but I do so, feeling immensely proud of the work we’ve done together and so grateful for the experience.”
An individual with knowledge of the situation tells TheWrap WarnerMedia execs wanted Miller to stay and run the division, but she decided it was the right time to do something new.
Michael Ouweleen, executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Cartoon Network, Adult Swim and Boomerang, will serve as the interim president and Miller will help with the transition.
“Christina has been a respected and impactful leader since she joined the company,” Warner Bros. chair and chief executive officer Ann Sarnoff said. “We wish her the best of luck in the next chapter of her career, where I know she’ll continue to enjoy great success.”
Miller, who joined Turner (now WarnerMedia) in 2005 as vice president of Cartoon Network Enterprises, has been the head of WarnerMedia’s kids and young adults division for the last five years, leading all aspects of the business, including global oversight of content development and production and franchise management.
She is also in charge of the SVOD service Boomerang and recently added TCM to the list of WarnerMedia brands under her control.
Prior to her current position, Miller was previously general manager of NBA Digital and senior vice president of Turner Sports strategy, marketing and programming, “where she led the day-to-day operations for the NBA Digital portfolio, managing relationships with league partners, as well as the strategic planning and scheduling of on-air sports programming and developing marketing programs for the division’s linear and digital properties,” according to WarnerMedia.
You can read Miller’s memo to staff below.
All-
I wanted to share with you some personal news. After much consideration and thought, I have made the difficult decision to leave the company at the end of the year. This is not a decision I came to lightly; it’s one of the hardest I’ve had to make in my career. Ultimately, it feels like the right time for me to leave and take a little time to think about what comes next, but I do so, feeling immensely proud of the work we’ve done together and so grateful for the experience.
More than 14 years ago, what brought me to this company was the prospect of working on some of the world’s most iconic brands – but what has kept me here all these years are the amazing, talented and all-around great people with whom I’ve had the pleasure of working. The laughing, grinding and executing of big ideas across all of our businesses has been what has set us apart, and the talent contained within the organization is truly awe-inspiring. Every single day, I have been motivated, challenged, educated, entertained and fulfilled by each of you, and my path has been made better and the successes richer because they were achieved together.
What stands out to me most about this experience is the countless opportunities I’ve been afforded, the support of what, at the time, seemed like crazy ideas that ultimately transformed our business, and the trust that was given to me every step of the way. I am grateful beyond measure to the entire executive leadership team past and present for investing in me and allowing me to manage my career path in ways I could have never expected. It has been the experience of a lifetime, and one I will never forget. I leave here considering myself incredibly lucky to have called this “work” for so long.
This is an exciting time for WarnerMedia and it is the start of a new chapter for the company. You all have waited incredibly patiently to begin that next phase and that time is coming. Though I’m not leaving just yet – I’ll be working alongside the interim leadership through the end of the year – when I do, I will not only be watching from afar, but also rooting for you from whichever seat I’m in.
So, this isn’t really goodbye; consider it instead my heartfelt thanks for the experience, and a toast to what’s to come for us all.
All my very best,
Christina