AMC Networks has named Kristin Dolan CEO.
Dolan, a longtime AMC Networks board member and wife of the company’s owner, James Dolan, will begin her new role Feb. 27.
Her appointment to the position comes months after Christina Spade, formerly CFO of the company, stepped down in November after a very brief stint as chief, following the exit of interim CEO Matt Blank.
Once Spade left, James Dolan was named interim executive chairman while a search began for another AMC Networks CEO, and announced that “large-scale layoffs” would be hitting the company amid a stall in growth at streaming AMC+ and its smaller platforms Acorn TV, Shudder, Sundance Now, ALLBLK and HIDIVE.
Most recently, Kristin Dolan founded and served as CEO of 605, an audience measurement and data analytics firm established in 2016. There, she leads all day-to-day business operations including key client relationships, product development, sales, research, finance, legal and marketing, per AMC Networks.
“Kristin is a proven executive and operational leader with a track record driving organizational change, a history managing subscription-based businesses, and a deep understanding of audience engagement and advertising,” James Dolan said in a statement Wednesday. These are areas of critical importance as we transform our company and monetize our high-quality content. With her considerable experience and knowledge of the company, Kristin is the ideal person to lead AMC Networks into its next chapter as we navigate this transformative period in the industry.”
Kristin Dolan added: “It’s a privilege to join a company with a long legacy of engaging audiences with excellent storytelling and world-class brands. It’s also where I started my career in the industry. I look forward to bringing my broad experience—across programming, cable operations, and most recently, utilizing data to reimagine television advertising—to leverage AMC Networks’ strong assets, drive the next phase of the company’s growth, and build shareholder value in the coming years.”
Earlier Wednesday, The Wall Street Journal reported that Kristin Dolan was being eyed by AMC Networks to take on the role. According to the Journal, Kristin and James Dolan were married in 2022 but are reportedly separated at this time, though remain on good, close terms, with Kristin keeping on office on AMC Networks’ exec floor.
AMC Networks will report its fourth-quarter earnings results Friday.
