New York, N.Y., USA - June 16, 2015, New York, N.Y., USA - 21st Century Fox announced that its founder, chairman and CEO Rupert Murdoch and Lachlan Murdoch, currently co-chairman, will become executive co-chairmen from July 1, 2015.
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Rupert Murdoch, who is to step down as CEO, has held Chairman and CEO position since the Company’s inception as News Corporation in 1979.
In 1954, Rupert Murdoch took control of News Limited, has overseen the expansion and development of 21st Century Fox into an international media and entertainment company and, in June 2013, the launch of News Corporation as an independent publicly-traded company, where he serves as Executive Chairman.
Mr. Murdoch has been awarded the Companion of the Order of Australia (A.C.) for services to the media and to newspaper publishing in particular.
Lachlan Murdoch is currently Co-Chairman, a position he has held since March 2014.
Lachlan Murdoch also currently serves as Co-Chairman of News Corp, Executive Chairman of NOVA Entertainment and Executive Chairman of Illyria Pty Ltd. He is a Director of Sydney's Museum of Contemporary Art and a Trustee of the Commando Welfare Trust.
Lachlan Murdoch previously served as Non- Executive Chairman of Ten Network Holdings. Prior to his current role, he has served as Co-Chairman of 21st Century Fox beginning in March 2014 and has served the Company as a member of the Board of Directors since 1996, as well as in a number of senior executive roles from 1994-2005.
From 2000 – 2005, Lachlan Murdoch served as Deputy Chief Operating Officer of 21st Century Fox (previously known as News Corporation), a role in which he was directly responsible for the Company’s U.S. television stations group and publishing assets. He was Chairman of Fox Television Stations (FTS) and Publisher of the New York Post, and also oversaw HarperCollins and the Company’s lines of business in Australia, including REA.
In 2005, Lachlan Murdoch founded Illyria Pty. In 2009, Illyria acquired 50 percent of DMG Radio, a network of radio stations, which later expanded to include pay television assets and was renamed NOVA Entertainment. He holds a B.A. from Princeton University.
James Murdoch, currently Co-Chief Operating Officer, will become Chief Executive Officer.
James Murdoch has held a succession of leadership roles over his nearly two-decade career with the Company, culminating in his appointment to CEO. He was Chairman and CEO for Europe and Asia, as well as Chairman of BSkyB, Sky Deutschland, and Sky Italia, the businesses that now comprise the pan-European Sky group. He was as CEO of both BSkyB and STAR.
Before joining the Company, James Murdoch co-founded and chaired Rawkus Entertainment. He serves as a board member of 21st Century Fox and Sky, and of News Corp. In addition, he is a non-executive director of Yankee Global Enterprises, Vice Media, and a member of the Board of Trustees of the Harvard Lampoon and the Ghetto Film School.
Chase Carey, the Company’s Deputy Chairman, President and COO since 2009, will
become the Executive Vice Chairman and serve in that role through June 30, 2016.
Mr. Carey oversees the Company's global portfolio of assets and he has also served as the Deputy Chairman of the Company's Board of Directors since 2009.
Previously, Mr. Carey was president and chief executive officer of DIRECTV and served on The DIRECTV Group Board of Directors. Prior to joining DIRECTV, he was co-Chief Operating Officer of News Corporation (now known as 21st Century Fox) and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Fox Television Group. ■