Less than two months after its chairman left in a rumored dispute with top
management, Time Warner Cable made more sweeping changes Friday, replacing unit
president Tom Rutledge with former Comcast Corp. president Tom Baxter.
The reshuffling came after former chairman Joseph Collins left to become
chairman and CEO of AOL Time Warner Interactive Video Aug. 16 and was replaced
by former Time Warner Cable president Glenn Britt.
At the time, AOL Time Warner said the move was intended to jump-start
interactive services, but analysts also believed Collins and AOL Time Warner
co-chief operating officer Robert Pittman were not getting along. Collins now
reports to AOL Time Warner CEO Gerald Levin.
Other changes announced Friday include the elevation of John Billock to Time
Warner Cable vice chairman (a new title at the unit) and COO. Billock had been
president of Home Box Office's U.S. network group.
Billock reports to Britt, and Baxter reports to Billock.
AOL Time Warner vice president of financial analysis and operations support
Landel Hobbs was named Time Warner Cable's chief financial officer, replacing
Tommy Harris, who moves over to Collins' Interactive Video unit as executive
vice president.
Senior vice president of programming Fred Dressler was bumped up to executive
vice president of programming.
And Time Warner Cable Ventures president and CEO Christopher Bogart will add
responsibilities for investments, new product development, human resources,
Internet-protocol telephony and Road Runner commercial services.
Also, executive vice president Ted Cutler will retire, joining Ann Burr,
another executive vice president who announced her retirement a few months ago.
The retirements were not related to the restructuring, Time Warner Cable vice
president of corporate communications Michael Luftman said.
