Top 10: CEOs in Media & Entertainment

According to Deloitte’s 2026 Media and Entertainment Industry Outlook, the evolution of quality, cross-platform audience intelligence and AI integration are transforming competitive dynamics across the media and entertainment landscape.

It states that tech companies over the past two decades have been one of the key driving forces behind how people create, consume and interact with media. 

Factors like user-generated short videos, content-focused algorithms and video on demand services have revolutionised the media industry and companies that scaled the fastest provided services like these for free, monetising through ads that could reach millions of active users.

The report states that the nature of the competition has fundamentally changed and quality engagement, audience data and the speed of innovation have become critical to success within the media industry.

This week, we highlight some of the leading executives ensuring growth, tech innovation and resilience within their respective brands in the media and entertainment industry.

10. Jeff Housenbold

Company: Beast Industries
Revenue: US$473m
Location: North Carolina, US

A venture capitalist with more than three decades of experience in public and private companies, Jeff Housenbold has helped lead, operate and invest into several hyper-growth focused entrepreneurial companies.

A Silicon Valley veteran, Jeff was asked to help run Beast Industries in 2024 and provide the company the weight it needed to help it compete with other major media conglomerates.

Jeff says education and “self worth” have always been his core pillars when it comes to work  and that there’s no “one right path” when pursuing a career in any field.

9. Kristin Dolan

Company: AMC Global Media
Revenue: US$2.42bn
Location: New York, US

Kristin Dolan brings more than three decades of leadership experience to her CEO role at AMC Global Media. 

Prior to joining AMC, she served as CEO for the audience measurement and data analytics firm 605 and also spent 16 years at the Cablevision Systems Corporation, where she served as COO and oversaw its landmark US$17.7bn sale.

Today, Kristin oversees a vast portfolio of streaming services and networks such as Shudder, BBC America, and IFC, in addition to serving on boards for The Internet & Television Association and The Wendy’s Company.

8. Meredith Kopit Levien

Company: The New York Times Company
Revenue: US$2.82bn
Location: New York, US

CEO Meredith Kopit Levien holds extensive leadership experience across the media sector.

Prior to joining The New York Times in 2013, she rose from the rank of Head of Advertising to Chief Revenue Officer and COO, over global subscriptions, digital product development and advertising strategies.

Meredith’s style of direction for the brand stems from her 'make journalism worth paying for' mantra, emphasising that the brand’s quality of work and reputation is what keeps it popular, even amid an industry full of free alternatives.

7. Strauss Zlenick

Company: Take-Two Interactive
Revenue: US$6.66bn
Location: New York, US

Chairman and CEO of one of the world’s biggest gaming companies, Strauss Zlenick holds more than 30 years of experience in media management, previously serving as President and CEO of BMG Entertainment. He has held several executive positions at Crystal Dynamics, 20th Century Fox and Vestron Inc. 

His background spans the music, film and gaming industry and his experience as an executive is informed by his time as a top board member for companies like CBS Corp and the Entertainment Software Association.

Strauss is a firm believer in 'must have' experiences and that offering consumers an event every few years rather than an annual title is more effective at retaining engagement and establishing a sense of legacy.

6. Ravi Ahuja

Company: Sony Pictures
Revenue: US$10.2bn
Location: California, US

Ravi Ahuja is a veteran media executive with an extensive background in the television industry and has overseen major acquisitions across the global industry, including the studios purchase of UK production company Bad Wolf and Alamo Drafthouse Cinema.

He also served as President and CFO of Walt Disney Television and played a central role in the company’s acquisition of Fox Networks in 2019.

Ravi says that “progress beats perfection” when it comes to business strategy and that leaders must maintain a pragmatic approach, adding that executives cannot create a turnaround plan for a failing industry.

5. Lucian Grainge

Company: Universal Music Group
Revenue: US$14.7bn
Location: California, US (Operational headquarters)

Lucian Grainge has worked with artists such as ABBA, Jay Z, Elton John, the Rolling Stones, Amy Winehouse and more across a career of more than 40 years.

In addition to signing major artists, he has consistently pushed for innovative business models, partnerships and a wide range of technology and media partners around the world.

His leadership has transformed Universal Music Group (UMG) into one of the most successful music companies in history and has helped lay the foundation for the industry’s return to growth in recent years.

4. Michael Cavanagh

Company: Comcast
Revenue: US$20bn
Location: Philadelphia, US

As CEO of one of the largest pay television companies, Michael Cavanagh oversees company operations that provide service to hundreds of millions of customers all around the world.

He first joined Comcast in 2015 as the company’s Chief Financial Officer and was promoted to President in 2022 and Co-CEO in 2026. Prior to Comcast, he served as Co-CEO to JPMorgan Chase, overseeing a US$30bn revenue stream and more than 60,00 employees across nearly 100 countries.

Michael says the company’s success stems from “reinforcing a culture of integrity and respect” across its 60-year history.

3. Asha Sharma

Company: Xbox (Microsoft)
Revenue: US$23.5bn
Location: Washington, US

Serving as Microsoft’s President of CoreAI Product for two years, Asha Sharma was appointed CEO of Xbox following a decline in gaming revenue for the company.

Since her appointment, she has overseen the brand’s largest reset strategy in years, leading its visual redesign, invited players to give feedback on Xbox’s direction and helped position the brand for upcoming developments like its next console, Project Helix.

Asha believes that Xbox’s future will be determined by the quality of its output and that she will ensure the company doesn’t “chase short-term efficiency” or flood its media ecosystem with “soulless AI slop”.

2. David Zaslav

Company: Warner Bros. Discovery
Revenue: US$37.2bn
Location: New York, US

David Zaslav is CEO for one of the largest and most diverse media and entertainment companies in the world, with market leadership spanning premium television and movies, non-fiction series, animation, global sports and news.

He is in charge of positioning the brand’s strategy and overseeing all operations for its global suite of brands, including Warner Bros. Pictures and Warner Bros. Television Group, HBO, CNN, TNT Sports, Discovery Kids, Eurosport and many more.

David believes that “a strong people culture is critical to any successful company”. 

1. Josh D’Amaro

Company: The Walt Disney Company
Revenue: US$94.4bn
Location: California, US
As CEO of one of the largest media brands – and one of the most culturally-renowned – Josh D’Amaro helps lead a unified portfolio of world-recognised brands and businesses, focusing on the importance of exceptional storytelling and meaningful consumer experiences.

Under his leadership, he helped spearhead the company’s Disney Experiences segment, guiding a multi-year strategy with capital investment to expand the brand’s global footprint.

Across his nearly 30-year career at Disney, Josh has been instrumental in shaping the company brand across theme parks, cruise ships, retail, games, immersive experiences and real world and digital storytelling.

He describes storytelling and creative excellence as the company’s “north star” and that they will always inform and underpin every decision he makes as CEO.