ABC News senior executive producer Jon Banner is leaving the
network, and the news business, to join PepsiCo's global communications team,
ABC News president Ben Sherwood announced Tuesday.
Banner is a 25-year veteran of ABC News, producing World News from 2003-2011 and most recently
served as executive producer of This Week
with George Stephanopoulos. At PepsiCo, he will be senior VP, global
strategy and planning.
Senior executive producer Marc Burstein will lead ABC's political
coverage and assume EP duties on This
Week until a replacement is named.
Sherwood's note to staff below:
I'm writing with news
about our good friend and one of our longest-serving and most accomplished
colleagues, Jon Banner.
Jon came to me
recently with a great opportunity outside the news business that he simply
could not refuse.
After more than 25
years with ABC News -- more than half his life -- Jon will be leaving this Sunday
to take a senior role at one of America's great multinational companies. See
attached.
For nearly a decade at
ABC, Jon led World News through
wars, natural disasters, terror attacks, presidential elections and everything
in between. Guiding the transitions of four anchors in five years, Jon led
the program to new heights and helped hold the team together in challenging
times.
Earlier this year,
when I asked Jon to add This Week to
his portfolio, he took on the assignment with characteristic determination and
fighting spirit. The broadcast is now in its best competitive position in
years, gaining momentum as we head into the most important months of the 2012
campaign.
Across Jon's tenure at
ABC News, he has won every award for journalistic excellence.
On a personal level,
I've known Jon since around the time we both started out in this
business. I've always valued his friendship and admired his news judgment
and competitive drive. For the last couple of years, he has been a wise
counselor and steady hand.
We will miss him
mightily.
Going forward, Senior
Executive Producer Marc Burstein will captain our political coverage in
addition to Special Events and until a new executive producer is named, Marc
will assume that role on This
Week.
Please join me in
thanking Jon for his leadership over the years and wishing him the very best
luck in this new chapter.
Ben
