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BET Networks loses CEO; Jeffrey Storey takes helm of CenturyLink

S&P Global Market Intelligence presents a weekly rundown of executive changes in the U.S. technology, media and communications industries.

TOP STORIES

* Glen Post III retired as CEO of CenturyLink Inc., immediately following the company's May 23 annual stockholders' meeting. As previously announced, Jeffrey Storey became the new CEO and president of CenturyLink. The company said in a May 25 SEC filing that it has "no immediate plans" to hire a new COO. Storey joined CenturyLink as its President and COO when Level 3 Communications Inc., where Storey was the president and CEO, completed its merger with CenturyLink in November 2017.

* Debra Lee left Viacom Inc.'s BET Networks as chairman and CEO, Multichannel News reported May 24, citing a statement by Viacom President and CEO Bob Bakish. Lee joined BET Networks in 1986 and became CEO in 2005.

Media industry moves

* Verizon Communications Inc.'s Oath Inc. unit hired former National Football League executive Natalie Ravitz as chief communications officer and chief storyteller. In this newly created role, Ravitz will head Oath's global communications, overseeing corporate brand marketing, internal communications, public relations, executive positioning, corporate social responsibility and public policy communications. Ravitz previously served the NFL as senior vice president of communications, the company said May 30.

* Apple Inc. has quietly opened a hardware engineering lab in Oregon, The Oregonian reported May 30, citing postings, social media profiles and an individual familiar with the tech giant's recruiting efforts. The iPhone maker reportedly has hired nearly two dozen people for its Oregon facility, poaching from Intel Corp. and other tech employers in the state.

* Univision Communications Inc. on May 30 confirmed that former Media General Inc. Chief Vincent Sadusky will succeed Randy Falco as CEO of Univision, effective June 1. Sadusky, who served as president and CEO of Media General from 2014 to 2017, will also become a member of Univision's board of directors. In March, Univision confirmed reports that Falco intended to step down from his chief executive role. The announcement of Falco's departure came after parent Univision Holdings Inc. asked to withdraw its proposed IPO "due to prevailing market conditions." Falco will remain an adviser to the company until the end of 2018.

* Helios & Matheson Analytics Inc., the majority owner of movie subscription service MoviePass Inc., plans to buy Emmett Furla Oasis Films and use its assets to launch a MoviePass-branded production company, Variety reported May 30. Emmett Furla Oasis Films executives Randall Emmett and George Furla would serve as co-CEOs of the new MoviePass Films, the report said.

* Bruce Rosenblum will step down as president of business operations at Disney-ABC Television Group, Variety reported May 23, citing an internal memo. "Rosenblum's responsibilities have been dispersed within the company," Ben Sherwood, head of the Walt Disney Co. division, said in the memo. Rosenblum joined Disney in 2016.

Communications industry moves

* Telephone and Data Systems Inc. said May 24 that it promoted John Toomey to vice president and treasurer. Toomey succeeds Peter Sereda, who has been appointed senior vice president of finance for TDS. Toomey recently served as vice president and assistant treasurer. In his new role, he will take on more responsibilities for capital markets activities, banking relationships, cash investing and other corporate finance functions for the company and its business units United States Cellular Corp. and TDS Telecom.

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