NBCU names Linda Yaccarino replacement with exec expected to join Twitter
Mark Marshall, former president of advertising sales and client partnerships, has been named interim chairman of advertising and partnerships at NBCUniversal.
JaneWalter
Linda Yaccarino has departed NBCUniversal, effective immediately, the company said Friday morning. Late Thursday night, news broke that the chairman of advertising and partnerships was slated to become Twitter’s CEO, leading to questions about NBCU’s advertising business ahead of its upfront pitch to advertisers on Monday at Radio City Music Hall.
Yaccarino was said to have been in rehearsals throughout the day Thursday for the media company’s upfront on Monday. Yaccarino will no longer be present at the NBCU upfront next week, a company representative confirmed to Ad Age.
With Yaccarino's departure, Mark Marshall, previously president of ad sales and client partnerships at NBCUniversal, has been named interim chairman of advertising and partnerships at NBCUniversal. Marshall will report to Mark Lazarus, chairman of NBCU TV and streaming.
“It has been an absolute honor to be part of Comcast NBCUniversal and lead the most incredible team,” said Yaccarino in a statement. “We’ve transformed our company and the entire industry—and I am so proud of what we’ve accomplished together, and grateful to my colleagues and mentors, especially Brian Roberts [CEO and chairman of Comcast], Mike Cavanagh [Comcast president] and the entire NBCU leadership team.”
Read more: Twitter close to naming Linda Yaccarino CEO
Marshall joined NBCUniversal in 2014, initially overseeing sales for NBC Broadcast Entertainment, USA, Syfy and WWE before ascending to his most recent role in 2018, leading sales for NBC Broadcast Entertainment, NBC Sports, advanced advertising sales and client partnerships. Prior to NBCUniversal, Marshall held sales roles at Turner Broadcasting and Turner Sports between 1999 and 2013, similar to Yaccarino who left Turner in 2011 for NBCU.
“We are grateful for Linda Yaccarino’s leadership of NBCUniversal’s Advertising Sales business, and for the innovative team and platform she has built,” said Lazarus in a statement. “Linda has made countless contributions to the company during her twelve year tenure, and we wish her the best.”
