As Versant continues to expand its ranks ahead of its official separation from Comcast, former NBC Cable president and CNBC founder Tom Rogers is joining the company as a senior advisor.
In his new role, Rogers will provide ongoing counsel to the company’s leadership on industry trends, new developments and competitive dynamics, as well as insight into strategy, market positioning and business development opportunities.
“I’ve spent my career building, transforming and leading media businesses through change,” Rogers said in a Tuesday statement. “Versant represents a rare opportunity to shape the future of a media company that has already begun to make progress toward the huge opportunity of expanding and developing well beyond the cable realm. Versant possesses both the ambition and agility to be a leader in today’s evolving media landscape.”
Rogers, who brings decades of experience in media, technology and business, is best know as NBC Cable’s first president, the founder of CNBC and the longest-serving CEO of TiVo, where he pioneered the DVR revolution and initiated distributing streaming services to the TV set.
He also served as an executive chairman of Claigrid Inc. and Oorbit Gaming and Entertainment, chairman of Creative Capital Ventures and a board member across a wide range of media and technology companies, offering strategic guidance during periods of growth, digital transformation and market disruption. Additionally, he serves as a CNBC contributor and appears on MSNBC in his capacity as Newsweek editor-at-large.
“Tom’s track record of anticipating and driving change in the media business is unmatched,” Versant CEO Mark Lazarus added. “His insights will be invaluable as we continue to build on the success of Versant’s iconic media portfolio.”
Following its separation by the end of 2025, Versant will become publicly traded and house MSNBC, CNBC, USA Network, Oxygen, E!, SYFY and Golf Channel as well as digital assets Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes, GolfNow and SportsEngine. It is expected to reach over 65 million U.S. households and generate $7 billion in annual revenue. The spinoff will be tax-free to Comcast shareholders.
In addition to Lazarus, the Versant leadership team includes Anand Kini as chief financial officer, David Pietrycha as chief revenue and business officer, Val Boreland as president of entertainment, Roy Cho as president of distribution & partnerships, Keith Cocozza as chief communications officer, Brian Dorfler as chief human resources officer, Jordan Fasbender as general counsel, Matt Hong as president of sports, Rebecca Kutler as president of MSNBC, KC Sullivan as president of CNBC and Jeff Mayzurk as president of operations and technology.
Meanwhile, the company’s board of directors includes Lazarus, David Novak, Rebecca Campbell, Creighton Condon, Michael Conway, David Eun, Gerald Hassell, Scott Mahoney, Maritza Montiel and Len Potter.
Versant Unveils Full Board of Directors