Versant has announced the appointment of industry veteran Tom Rogers as a senior advisor. Rogers, renowned for his pivotal role in launching CNBC and MSNBC as the first president of NBC Cable, will provide strategic counsel to Versant's leadership team. His expertise will cover industry trends, emerging technologies, and competitive analysis.
“Tom’s track record of anticipating and driving change in the media business is unmatched,” said Mark Lazarus, CEO of Versant. “His insights will be invaluable as we continue to build on the success of Versant’s iconic media portfolio.”
Rogers' advisory role will encompass strategy development, market positioning, and identifying new business opportunities. Beyond his contributions to NBC, Rogers' extensive experience includes a long tenure as CEO of TiVo, where he played a key role in establishing DVR standards. He's also held executive chairman and board member positions across various media and technology companies navigating periods of growth and digital transformation. He currently contributes to CNBC and serves as editor-at-large of Newsweek.
“I’ve spent my career building, transforming, and leading media businesses through change,” said Rogers. “Versant represents a rare opportunity to shape the future of a media company that has already begun to make progress toward the huge opportunity of expanding and developing well beyond the cable realm. Versant possesses both the ambition and agility to be a leader in today’s evolving media landscape.”
Versant, the entity slated to be spun off from Comcast, will house nearly all former NBCU cable networks, excluding Bravo. Its portfolio includes prominent brands like USA Network, SyFy, Oxygen, Golf Channel, E!, MSNBC, and CNBC, along with digital properties such as Fandango, SportsEngine, Rotten Tomatoes, and Golf Now.