CNN names NowThis president as EVP & chief digital officer

Athan Stephanopoulos

CNN has named Athan Stephanopoulos as its EVP & chief digital officer of CNN Worldwide, following a warning earlier this week of imminent cutbacks to staffing and budgets.

Stephanopoulos, will oversee editorial, product, technology, business operations and innovation strategies worldwide, reporting into CNN chairman and CEO Chris Licht.

He joins CNN after more than eight years at NowThis, where he served as president and led the brand to become one of the largest and fastest growing digital news outlets for a young Gen Z and Millennial audience.

In his role as president, Stephanopoulos oversaw all operations of the brand – including editorial, revenue, product and technology strategy, audience development and data insights.

Licht said Stephanopoulos’s “vision for digital journalism, alongside his leadership and business acumen, is exactly what we need to build CNN’s digital future.” The CNN boss also revealed Wendy Brundige has been promoted to become SVP of CNN Digital Worldwide.

Stephanopoulos added: “CNN’s digital reach around the world is truly unrivaled and its digital offering is best-in-class, and yet there is still so much opportunity for growth and innovation to move CNN into the future. I look forward to working with Chris and the entire CNN team to drive deeper engagement among existing audiences online, as well as expand the brand’s digital reach to new audiences around the globe.”

Stephanopoulos will begin his new role on 14 November and be based out of CNN’s New York bureau.

CNN staffers were yesterday warned to expect “noticeable change” at the global news network that will impact employees, budgets and projects, as Warner Bros. Discovery looks to streamline operations at the global news operation.