Jeff Shell

Last updated

Jeff Shell
ChairmanShell4x4.jpg
2013 portrait
Born1965 (age 5859)
Michigan, U.S.
Education University of California, Berkeley (BS)
Harvard Business School (MBA)
OccupationMedia executive
TitleCEO, NBCUniversal (2019–2023) President, New Paramount (upcoming role)
SpouseLaura Fay Shell
Relatives Dana Shell Smith (sister)

Jeff Shell is an American media executive who served as the CEO for NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast, from 2019 to 2023. [1]

Contents

Career

Shell is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, where he studied economics and applied mathematics, and Harvard Business School, where he received an MBA. [2] He began his career at Salomon Brothers. [2]

In 2001, Shell served as president of FOX Cable Network Group before joining Comcast in 2004, where he was president of Comcast Programming Group. In 2019, it was announced that he would succeed Steve Burke as CEO of NBCUniversal. [3] Shell assumed the role on January 1, 2020, and reported directly to Comcast CEO Brian L. Roberts. [4]

In April 2008, Shell signed an open letter endorsing Barack Obama for the Pennsylvania primary. [5] He was named by President Barack Obama as chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors replacing Sony Pictures executive Michael Lynton. [6]

In May 2020, The New York Times reported that Shell was considering replacing CNBC's current primetime offerings of business reality shows with right-wing talk shows, in a bid to appeal to conservative viewers. [7]

Firing from NBCUniversal

On April 23, 2023, Shell was fired from NBCUniversal after an investigation into sexual harassment, which began when a female employee filed a complaint against him. [8] Shell had an extramarital affair with the employee from 2012 to 2021, who was subsequently identified as CNBC reporter Hadley Gamble. [9] Variety reported that the law firm Gibson Dunn was hired to conduct the investigation, and corroborated the complaint after reviewing records of Shell and Gamble's email communications. Shell was then dismissed with cause, and did not receive any severance pay. [9]

President for New Paramount

On July 7, 2024, Shell was named the president for New Paramount. [10] [11]

Personal life

Shell is married to Laura Fay Shell, who worked for Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky as his planning deputy until 2005. [6] His sister is Dana Shell Smith, [12] and his brother is Dan Shell of IMG College. [13]

In 2015, he was awarded the Dorothy and Sherrill C. Corwin Human Relations Award by the American Jewish Committee. [12] Shell is a 2010 inductee into the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. [14]

In January 2019, Shell, along with Cindy Crawford, her husband Rande Gerber, Michael Meldman, and Jay Sures, announced they would purchase the Beverly Hills deli, Nate 'n Al, to keep its doors open after three generations of family ownership. [15] [16]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Comcast</span> American multinational telecommunications and media conglomerate

Comcast Corporation, incorporated and headquartered in Philadelphia, is an American multinational telecommunications and media conglomerate. The corporation is the fourth-largest broadcasting and cable television company in the world by revenue. It is the third-largest pay-TV company, the second-largest cable TV company by subscribers, and the largest home Internet service provider in the United States. In 2023, the company was ranked 51st in the Forbes Global 2000. Comcast is additionally the nation's third-largest home telephone service provider. It provides services to U.S. residential and commercial customers in 40 states and the District of Columbia. As the owner of the international media company NBCUniversal since 2011, Comcast is also a high-volume producer of feature films for theatrical exhibition and television programming, and a theme park operator. It is the world's fourth-largest telecommunications company by revenue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeffrey Katzenberg</span> American film producer and media proprietor (born 1950)

Jeffrey Katzenberg is an American media proprietor and film producer who served as chairman of Walt Disney Studios from 1984 to 1994, a position in which he oversaw production and business operations for the company's feature films. Following his departure, he co-founded DreamWorks SKG in 1994, where he served as the company's chief executive officer (CEO) and executive producer of its animated franchises—including Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda, and How to Train Your Dragon—until stepping down from the title in 2016. He has since founded the venture capital firm WndrCo in 2017, which invests in digital media projects, and launched Quibi in 2020, a defunct short-form mobile video platform that lost US$1.35 billion in seven months.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NBCUniversal</span> American media and entertainment conglomerate

NBCUniversal Media, LLC is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate that is a subsidiary of Comcast and is headquartered at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Midtown Manhattan in New York City.

NBCUniversal Media Group is the television and streaming arm of NBCUniversal, and the direct descendant and successor of the former division NBCUniversal Television Group, which existed from 2004 to 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hulu</span> American subscription streaming service and content hub

Hulu is an American subscription streaming media and content hub within the Disney+ streaming service owned by The Walt Disney Company. It was launched on October 29, 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Robbins</span> American businessman

Brian Robbins is an American businessman, producer, director, actor, and the current co-CEO of Paramount Global. He has been the president of Nickelodeon and president and CEO of Paramount Pictures since 2018 and 2021, respectively. He was named the co-CEO of Paramount Global in April 2024.

Ronald Meyer is an American entertainment executive and former talent agent. He co-founded Creative Artists Agency in 1975, and served as the President and Chief Operating Officer at Universal Studios from 1995-2013 and the President and Chief Operating Officer of Vivendi Universal Entertainment from 2002-2004. He was then promoted to Vice Chairman of NBCUniversal at Comcast Corp. and held that position until his resignation in 2020. He is currently the CEO of Wild Bunch, and an advisor to the Doha Film Institute.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rande Gerber</span> American businessman (born 1962)

Rande Gerber is an American businessman. He founded tequila brand Casamigos alongside actor George Clooney and businessman Mike Meldman, as well as nightlife companies Midnight Oil, Caliche Rum, and Gerber Group, with a portfolio that has consisted of nightlife industry, such as restaurants, bars and lounges worldwide. He is the husband of model Cindy Crawford and the father of model Kaia Gerber.

NBCUniversal International Networks & Direct-to-Consumer, formerly NBC Universal Global Networks, Universal Networks International and NBCUniversal International Networks, is a part of NBCUniversal, owned by Comcast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacqueline Hernández</span> American multimedia businesswoman

Jacqueline Hernández is a Hispanic-American multimedia businesswoman specializing in multicultural and youth marketing. Hernandez is the CEO and founder of New Majority Ready, a marketing and content development firm. She is the former CMO of NBCUniversal Hispanic Enterprise and COO of Telemundo Enterprises and mun2. She currently serves as the Interim CEO of MediaCo and is on the board of directors of Victoria's Secret and MediaCo Holding. Before that, Hernández worked across multiple brands and platforms, including as publisher of People en Español, Teen People, and in various leadership roles at Time, Fortune, CNN International, and Combate Americas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Burke (businessman)</span> American businessman

Stephen B. Burke is an American businessman. He is the senior executive vice president of Comcast and chairman of NBCUniversal.

Nate 'n Al Delicatessen is a Jewish deli located in Beverly Hills, California. The restaurant opened in 1945, occasionally serving as an informal meeting place for show business personalities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Universal Content Productions</span> American television production company

Universal Content Productions LLC (UCP) is an American television production company operating within the Universal Studio Group division of NBCUniversal, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Comcast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cesar Conde</span> American media executive

Cesar Conde is an American media executive currently serving as chairman of the NBCUniversal News Group, overseeing NBC News, MSNBC, and CNBC. Prior to this, Conde was chairman of NBCUniversal International Group and NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises. Before that, he was president of Univision's networks division.

Awesomeness, formerly and best known as AwesomenessTV, is an American digital media and entertainment network company owned by Paramount Digital Studios, a division of Paramount Global. Established in July 2012 by Brian Robbins and Joe Davola, the company operated a network initially focused on children’s programs, teen dramas, comedies, live events and music videos targeting adolescents and young adults.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney</span> Business acquisition held from 2017 to 2019

The acquisition of 21st Century Fox by The Walt Disney Company was announced on December 14, 2017, and was completed on March 20, 2019. Among other key assets, the acquisition included the 20th Century Fox film and television studios, U.S. cable channels such as FX, Fox Networks Group, a 73% stake in National Geographic Partners, Indian television broadcaster Star India, and a 30% stake in Hulu. The assets like the Fox Broadcasting Company, Fox Television Stations, Fox News Channel, Fox Business, Fox Sports 1 and 2, Fox Deportes, and the Big Ten Network were not part of the deal and they were spun off into a new company called Fox Corporation on March 19, 2019. Other 21st Century Fox assets such as the Fox Sports Networks and Sky were divested and sold off to Sinclair and Comcast, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paramount Global</span> American mass media corporation

Paramount Global is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate controlled by National Amusements and headquartered at One Astor Plaza in Times Square, Midtown Manhattan. The company was formed on December 4, 2019, as ViacomCBS through the merger of the second incarnations of CBS Corporation and Viacom. The company took its current name on February 16, 2022.

Peacock is an American over-the-top video streaming service owned and operated by Peacock TV, LLC, a subsidiary of NBCUniversal Media Group. Named after the NBC logo, the service launched on July 15, 2020. The service primarily features series and film content from NBCUniversal studios and other third-party content providers, including television series, films, news, and sports programming. The service is available in a grandfathered free ad-supported version with limited content, while premium tiers include a larger content library and access to additional NBC Sports, Hallmark Channel, and WWE content.

Michael J. Cavanagh is an American business executive and lawyer serving as president of Comcast since 2022. He has also lead NBCUniversal as interim CEO since April 23, 2023.

References

  1. Sherman, Ashley Capoot,Lillian Rizzo,Alex (April 23, 2023). "NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell is out after admitting inappropriate relationship". CNBC. Retrieved July 18, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. 1 2 James, Meg (December 16, 2019). "Jeff Shell to become chief executive of NBCUniversal in January". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on December 16, 2019. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
  3. Donnelly, Matt; Low, Elaine; Otterson, Joe (December 13, 2019). "Jeff Shell: Who Is the NBCUniversal Heir Apparent?". Variety .
  4. Hayes, Dade (December 16, 2013). "NBCUniversal Anoints Jeff Shell As CEO, Setting New Year's Day Start To Tenure". Deadline Hollywood . Burke, 61, has not indicated what his next move may be.
  5. Eden, Ami (April 1, 2008). "Pa. Jews for Obama". Jewish Telegraphic Agency .
  6. 1 2 Masters, Kim (July 31, 2013). "NBCU Executive Jeff Shell Buys Beverly Hills Home, Spurs Talk of New L.A. Job (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter .
  7. Smith, Ben (May 31, 2020). "Record Ratings and Record Chaos on Cable News". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved June 1, 2020.
  8. Richwine, Lisa (April 24, 2023). "Comcast says NBCU head Shell fired for sexual harassment". Reuters . Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  9. 1 2 Siegel, Tatiana (April 26, 2023). "Shell Shocked: How a Sex Scandal, Big Egos and Putin Led to Jeff Shell's Sudden, No Payout Exit From NBCU". Variety . Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  10. "SKYDANCE MEDIA AND PARAMOUNT GLOBAL SIGN DEFINITIVE AGREEMENT TO ADVANCE PARAMOUNT AS A WORLD-CLASS MEDIA AND TECHNOLOGY ENTERPRISE".
  11. "Jeff Shell's Past Lingers Over Paramount's Future". The Hollywood Repoter.
  12. 1 2 Torok, Ryan (October 29, 2015). "Moving and shaking: AFMDA Humanitarian Award, Tour de Summer Camps and more". Jewish Journal . AJC, an advocacy organization focusing on Israel and domestic issues, awarded Jeff Shell, Universal Filmed Entertainment Group chairman, the Dorothy and Sherrill C. Corwin Human Relations Award — the highest honor AJC bestows upon members of the entertainment industry.
  13. "The Shell brothers on TV viewing habits and the rise of soccer and esports". LA Business Journal. November 1, 2016.
  14. "Jeff Shell". Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame . 2010.
  15. "Irving Azoff, Hollywood A-Listers Team to Save Legendary Deli Nate 'n Al". The Hollywood Reporter . January 11, 2019.
  16. Donnelly, Matt (January 13, 2019). "Hollywood Power Players Assemble to Save Iconic Deli Nate 'n Al". Variety . Retrieved January 30, 2019.
Business positions
Preceded by CEO of NBCUniversal
2020-2023
Succeeded by