Hallmark Media has tapped Darren Abbott as president, taking over from John Matts.
Abbott, a longtime Hallmark executive, will take over as president in addition to his duties as chief brand officer across both Hallmark Media and Hallmark’s product and retail businesses. The news comes less than a year after Matts was named to the post in June 2025.
In his new role, Abbott will drive Hallmark Media’s business into the future, while continuing to oversee the ways in which consumers interact with Hallmark’s widely beloved content, products and experiences. He will also oversee ad sales, distribution and research for Hallmark Media, and continue reporting to Hallmark president and CEO Mike Perry.
“Darren is a deeply admired and respected leader with a proven track record of creating moments and opportunities that are uniquely and distinctly Hallmark,” Perry said in a statement. “From fostering each brand touchpoint to elevating how we work with advertisers, distributors, and all external partners who help us deliver on our brand promise, Darren is uniquely suited to build a future where Hallmark continues to bring joy, positivity, and connection to fans and consumers everywhere.”
Abbott’s tenure at Hallmark stretches nearly 30 years, with the executive most recently overseeing programming, creative product development, marketing and PR, licensing and brand partnerships experiences as chief brand officer.
Under his leadership, Abbott has seen Hallmark develop and launch its streaming branch Hallmark+, which has delivered year-over-year subscriber growth, deliver new commercial opportunities like the Hallmark Christmas Experience and Hallmark Christmas Cruise as well as Hallmark Stars Live and capitalize on partnerships with the NFL and Disney.
