Press release:
Cory Shields has been named Executive Vice President, Global Policy Strategies and Alliances, NBC Universal. The announcement was made today by NBC Universal President and CEO Jeff Zucker.
In this newly created position, Shields will play a key role in advancing NBC Universal’s global agenda for strengthening IP protection for the company’s content around the world as well as for continuing to build strong alliances with other IP-intensive industries, labor unions and other organizations focused on protecting jobs and growing the U.S. economy.
Shields will report jointly to Zucker and to NBC Universal Executive Vice President and General Counsel Rick Cotton. Shields has served since 2006 as Executive Vice President, Communications.
Said Zucker: “The lifeblood of a media company is its intellectual property, which is why I’ve asked Cory to take on this crucial challenge. It makes great sense to have a high-level communications professional wholly dedicated to our global IP agenda. Cory has the right mix of skills and experience to be a very effective strategist on this highly complex issue.”
Cotton added: “It has become clear that we need a senior executive who can serve as our dedicated communications strategist on IP issues, playing a role in formulating policy and in advancing our position with opinion-makers, the general public, unions and other allies around the world.
Cory’s expertise in strategic communications and media relations will enable us to be even more effective in helping to shape government policies, industry actions, and public opinion as it relates to the enormously important and challenging mandate of bolstering IP protection, driving technological developments, and educating politicians and the public on the economic costs of digital theft and counterfeiting.”
Based in New York, Shields will work closely with NBC Universal’s global legal and government relations team in driving the company’s anti-piracy agenda both domestically and in key centers of government and industry in Western Europe, including Brussels, London, and Geneva.
His mandate includes strengthening relationships with trade organizations, allied businesses, technology and consumer-electronics firms, and public interest groups and working with these allies to enhance public advocacy of our IP protection agenda. The creation of this new position represents the next step in NBC Universal’s industry leadership in working to strengthen IP protection around the world.
Shields was appointed executive vice president of Communications in June 2006, responsible for NBC Universal’s overall media and communications strategy and execution. He came to NBC Universal from SONY BMG Music Entertainment, where he served as senior vice president, Corporate Communications.
Before that, Shields was chief communications officer and executive vice president at J. Walter Thompson. He joined JWT in July 2004 after seven years at NBC, where he served in a series of communications roles of increasing responsibility, including two years as senior vice president, Corporate Communications. He first joined NBC in 1997 as director, NBC News Media Relations, and was subsequently promoted to vice president of MSNBC Communications. He became NBC’s vice president of Corporate Communications in 2000.
A New York resident, Shields graduated from Fairfield University with a B.A. in politics.
