WASHINGTON — Longtime Comcast public-policy executive Joe Waz is returning to the nation’s largest cable operator full-time as senior strategic adviser in public policy and external affairs.
Waz retired in April 2011 after 17 years with the company, though he remained a consultant.
Comcast executive vice president David Cohen will continue to head up Comcast’s public-policy efforts, with Waz dividing his time between Los Angeles, where he moved after retiring, and Washington. “For decades, Joe’s wise counsel and thought leadership has been sought across a variety of public policy topics,” Cohen said. “We look forward to Joe’s active re-engagement with the public-policy community.”
Former Comcast/NBCUniversal Washington president Kyle McSlarrow, who had been heading up public policy in Washington, exited last fall for an operations post, after which Cohen assumed direct oversight of the Washington office.
But a Comcast source said Waz is not a replacement for McSlarrow. “Joe comes back as more of a senior adviser. I think you will see him on panels and being a spokesperson on policy positions for the company. “
When Waz left, his job was divided among several people who already had jobs — including Rebecca Arbogast (vice president of global policy) and Bret Perkins (vice president of external and government affairs) — the source noted.
