Fox Entertainment CEO Charlie Collier Leaves To Enter Roku

Fox Entertainment CEO Charlie Collier Leaves To Enter Roku: Fox Entertainment’s CEO, a seasoned TV executive, is leaving the business to join Roku as head of media. Collier will be in charge of Roku’s content businesses, such as The Roku Channel and its advertising division.

Collier will start working for Roku in October and be based out of New York. Since joining Fox in 2018, he has been in charge of the company’s entertainment division and has created shows like The Masked Singer and The Cleaning Lady. He oversaw AMC as president before joining Fox.

He joins Roku as a part of a broader restructure, which also saw two other executives at the streaming technology business promoted. Gidon Katz will hold the position of president of the consumer experience, and Mustafa Ozgen will take over as president of devices at Roku.

The three will all answer to Anthony Wood, CEO of Roku. Fox is familiar with Roku because it is both a content partner (via Tubi and Fox Nation) and a former shareholder. In 2020, Fox sold its Roku stock and used the proceeds to purchase Tubi. A deal Collier assisted in.

Although Roku is best known for its streaming boxes and sticks, advertising has been the company’s principal source of development, with its free streaming service Roku Channel serving as a critical catalyst.

The company is also amid a significant expansion into original content, a move that began last year when Roku acquired the library of the defunct Quibi. It is getting ready to release a fake biopic about Weird Al Yankovic in November on The Roku Channel, starring Daniel Radcliffe.

“There is a tremendous opportunity to further accelerate and evolve Roku’s business as the streaming platform built for advertising, and Charlie is the ideal person to help us capitalize on the moment,” stated Wood.

Added Collier, “Roku is a pioneer in streaming television and has achieved scale and significant relationships with our partners that will continue to be unique and valuable at this pivotal time in the industry.

As a partner of Roku, I’ve seen firsthand the power and potential the platform provides advertisers, partners, content creators, and consumers. I’m eager to work with Roku’s talented team to continue to innovate, grow, and bring the company and its partners to the next level.”

In a statement, Lachlan Murdoch, the CEO of Fox Corp., also lauded Collier and said, “We want to express our gratitude to Charlie for his leadership, contributions, and unbridled enthusiasm.

He and his team have executed a creative strategy in entrepreneurial and profitable ways that leveraged our broadcast leadership to build and support businesses to position us for future growth. We wish Charlie all the best in his new role.”

It is not yet known who will take Collier’s post at Fox. According to network sources, executives were informed of Collier’s resignation approximately an hour before the news broke.

The appointment of Collier comes in the wake of the retirement earlier this year of Scott Rosenberg, longtime platform head of Roku, who played a vital role in establishing The Roku Channel and expanding the business’ advertising division.