AMC Networks, continuing its management reshuffling, said that chief financial officer Christina Spade, will also be chief operating officer at the programmer.
The move follows CEO Josh Sapan’s decision in August to step down and become vice chairman. He was replaced by interim CEO Matt Blank. It also follows the decision to leave the company announced in September by COO Ed Carroll.
Spade joined AMC in January from ViacomCBS, where she was replaced as CFO. Before the Viacom-CBS merger, she had been CFO at CBS and Showtime, where she worked with Blank.
“Chris is a talented, experienced and versatile executive whose contributions have been critical to AMC Networks’ strong performance this year,” said Blank. “Having worked alongside Chris for many years at Showtime, I know her leadership skills, her deep understanding of our business, and her strategic and data driven approach make her an ideal choice for this new role as we continue to rapidly grow our streaming business and build upon our substantial owned IP, and with our continued strong performance of our traditional linear channels.”
AMC, best know for building its cable networks behind well-regarded programs like Mad Men, Breaking Bad and The Walking Dead, has been attempting to make the pivot to streaming with a portfolio of targeted subscription services
Spade is seen as part of AMC’s next management team, if the company isn’t sold to create greater scale.
“I look forward to continuing to work with Matt and the talented team at AMC Networks in this new role, which will enable me to further lead the company’s ongoing business transformation and unlock opportunities for more efficient operations while also helping to guide and manage our investments for growth,” said Spade. ■
