Ann Sarnoff

Ann Marie Sarnoff (née Misiaszek; born c. 1961) is an American television executive. She became the chairwoman and CEO of Warner Bros. Entertainment in the summer of 2019. Sarnoff was the first woman to hold the position at the company.

Early life and education Sarnoff was born in Massachusetts. She is a 1979 graduate of Minnechaug Regional High School in Wilbraham, Massachusetts.

In 1983, Sarnoff received a Bachelor of Science degree in marketing from McDonough School of Business from Georgetown University. In 1987, Sarnoff received a Master of Business Administration degree from Harvard Business School.

From 1993 to 2003, Sarnoff worked at Viacom. Her first job at Viacom was in the corporate development department. After leaving corporate, Sarnoff was the head of Nickelodeon consumer products and business development during Geraldine Laybourne's leadership of the company. In 1999, while working at Nickelodeon, Sarnoff was part of a team that created the TV channel Noggin, a joint venture between Nickelodeon and Sesame Workshop. Sarnoff also helped create the television channel TV Land, which started as Nick at Nite's TV Land in 1996. Two shows she promoted were Rugrats and Blue's Clues. Sarnoff served as executive vice president of business strategy and program enterprises at VH1.

In 2001, she became chief operating officer of VH1 and Country Music Television, with the task of integrating the two channels. During her time at VH1, Sarnoff launched the TV channel, VH1 Classic.

In February 2004, Sarnoff was chief operating officer of the Women's National Basketball Association. In this position, she ran the executive conference business for The Wall Street Journal.

From 2010 to 2015, Sarnoff was chief operating officer of BBC Worldwide North America, where she worked with Herb Scannell, who she had worked with at Nickelodeon. In August 2015, Sarnoff became president of BBC Studios Americas, formerly known as BBC Worldwide Americas. From 2016 to 2018, Sarnoff was head of BBC Worldwide's Global Production Network. In 2017, she launched Britbox, a streaming service for North America.

In the summer of 2019, Sarnoff became the first woman CEO of Warner Bros. Entertainment, then a subsidiary of WarnerMedia. Sarnoff succeeded Kevin Tsujihara and reported to John Stankey. On April 8, 2022, she stepped down from her role upon the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery, Inc.

In May 2024, she invested in startup women's basketball league, Unrivaled.

Personal life In 1990, Sarnoff married Richard Sarnoff, a former media executive who works in private equity. They live in New York City and have two children. He is credited with founding NBC in 1926 and RKO Radio Pictures in 1928. Georgetown University, board of directors, 2018–present Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business, board of advisors, executive committee vice chair, 2008–present: Harvard Business School Women's Association of New York, board member HSN, Inc., board member, 2012–present PayPal Holdings, Inc., board member, 2017–present New York Public Radio, co-chair of digital task force The Women's Forum of New York, board of directors, vice president; Member, 2004–present Motion Picture & Television Fund, board member, 2022–present Cineworld, board member, 2023–present US-China Business Council, board member Harvard Business School, Inspiring Women Award, 2012 The Women's Project Theater, Women of Achievement Award, 2017 Georgetown University, Georgetown Media Alliance, Wall Street Alliance, Honoree, 2019 Forbes List, 63rd among "The World’s Most Powerful Women", 2021

Works and publications