Meg Whitman has been selected as the CEO of a new mobile-first media platform founded by Jeffrey Katzenberg, the venture announced on Wednesday. Whitman will begin her post on March 1 after stepping down as CEO of Hewlett-Packard on February 1.
The new venture, currently named NewTV and created at Katzenberg’s holding company WndrCo, will focus on creating short-length premium content for mobile platforms. Whitman has been brought on after 30 years running several major Silicon Valley companies including HP and eBay. Though she is stepping down as HP’s CEO, she will remain on its board of directors as well as those for Dropbox, Proctor & Gamble, Teach For America, and The Nature Conservancy.
“Meg is one of the most accomplished and sought-after executives of our time. She has built and scaled some of the most important global companies today,” said Katzenberg said in a statement. “To say I am thrilled that Meg will be at the helm would be an understatement. Her leadership, operational expertise, and deep understanding of technology and consumer behavior will be invaluable in creating the future of mobile entertainment.”
“NewTV is one of the most disruptive and timely ideas I’ve come across during my career,” said Whitman. “I share Jeffrey’s vision that top-quality programming tailored to our mobile lifestyles is the next big touchpoint in entertainment. I’m very excited to bring my experience to a company that I believe will transform an industry and I am thrilled to be employee #1.”