Williams Upped To GM/CPO Of iHeartRadio
• iHeartMedia announced that Chris Williams, Chief Product Officer for iHeartRadio, is being awarded additional General Manager responsibilities along with his CPO role. He will have oversight across iHeart’s digital product, engineering, editorial, and social teams. This move comes ahead of the previously announced departure of Chief Operating Officer Darren Davis, who is leaving the company at the end of the year.
The news was delivered to the staff in a memo from Conal Byrne, CEO of iHeartMedia’s Digital Audio Group, which read, “I’m excited to announce today that Chris Williams is being elevated to the role of General Manager & Chief Product Officer for iHeartRadio. With Darren Davis leaving us soon, Chris will now report directly to me and help to guide and coordinate operations across our incredible Product, Engineering, Editorial and Social teams, which are driving so much of our growth.”
Byrne added, “Chris has risen through the ranks, starting at the local level in our company’s core radio business as a programmer and air talent, and over the past decade he’s flourished in our digital organization, helping to build iHeartRadio into the multiplatform leader that it is today. Please join me in congratulating Chris on his new responsibilities.”
Williams is 16-year company veteran, working his way up from PD of the former 105.5 The Buzz and WKLS (Project 96.1)/Atlanta to Active Rock Brand Coordinator, VP of Programming for iHeartMedia Cincinnati and SVP of iHeartRadio Programming. He was named to his current post in Dec. 2014.
