The 24-year network veteran takes over the post previously held by Dana McClintock.
Chris Ender has been promoted at CBS Entertainment.
The 24-year network veteran was tapped to head communications for the CBS Entertainment Group, reporting to recently installed CBS CEO George Cheeks, who made the announcement Wednesday in a memo to staff. (Read it in full, below.)
Ender, who will continue to be based in Studio City, Calif., takes over the role previously held by Dana McClintock, whose last day with the company was June 30. McClintock announced in March that he would depart the network mid-year after completing work on the ViacomCBS re-merger.
Ender, a well-regarded publicist, was instrumental in helping Cheeks in his first few months at the company after the latter replaced Joe Ianniello following his years-long tenure at NBCUniversal.
Ender brings with him a vast knowledge of all things CBS, having started at the network in the ’90s and worked under PR regimes including the late Gil Schwartz and McClintock. After McClintock announced plans to depart, vp communications Kelli Raftery followed suit and left CBS in April.
Here’s Cheeks’ memo to staff:
CBS Colleagues –I am pleased to announce that I have appointed Chris Ender as head of communications for the CBS Entertainment Group. Chris takes the baton from Dana McClintock who left the Company yesterday having announced his departure earlier this year. Reporting to me, Chris will be responsible for all public relations, media relations and corporate communications functions across our CBS divisions.
Chris’ leadership and strategic counsel have been invaluable to me during my first few months at CBS and I quickly came to trust his judgment. His keen sense of how to manage complex issues and powerfully promote our great content are only surpassed by his integrity and decency. His steady hand leading our talented communicators in every CBS division will be an asset as we continue to evolve and thrive in our ever-changing industry.
Chris will continue to be based at our Studio City campus with regular appearances in New York when business travel permits in the future. Rick McCabe, who has skillfully supported our business communications – external and internal – will lead our NY team, reporting to Chris. Both Chris and Rick will work closely with our ViacomCBS Corporate Communications leaders to coordinate CBS messaging as part of broader communications strategies at the Company.
I’d also like to take a moment to thank Dana for his outstanding and dedicated service to CBS over his 27-year career at Black Rock. His perspective and guidance were very helpful to me as I know they’ve been to my predecessors. We will all miss him and we wish him nothing but the best as he begins his next chapter.
Please join me in congratulating Chris on his new role and wishing Dana well.
George
CBS
RSS