New York, NY (November 30, 2020) – AMC Networks today announced Aisha Thomas-Petit has joined the company as its first Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer. In this new role, Thomas-Petit will build on the company’s current DEI foundation, partnering with senior leaders to advance the company’s DEI goals. She will play an integral role in setting the strategy, roadmap and success measures to build, develop and retain a diverse and inclusive community of talent within the company’s workforce, as well as behind the camera and on-screen, helping to advance the company’s commitment to telling original stories that entertain with vivid characters, stories and worlds that show a full spectrum of human experience.
“Diversity, equity and inclusion are more than business imperatives that spur creativity and drive innovation; they are at the heart of who we aspire to be and are interwoven into the very fabric of the company,” said Josh Sapan, AMC Networks President and CEO. “Aisha’s successful track record and passion for integrating business strategy and diverse talent management to drive growth is a great fit for our company, particularly as we continue to shift our business to become more digitally focused. This role will bring a new level of focus integral to our evolution and we look forward to Aisha’s leadership and partnership as we continue to build a more diverse, equitable and inclusive culture in our workplace and in the stories we tell.”
“AMC Networks and its portfolio of respected entertainment brands has a long history of bringing audiences new stories that surprise and delight,” said Thomas-Petit. “I am proud to join the company’s leadership team and look forward to building on AMC Networks’ commitment to a diverse and inclusive workplace and to being a home for authentic stories that resonate; stories created in an inclusive environment that reflect the rich diversity of our audiences.”
Thomas-Petit joins AMC Networks from ADP where she steadily rose through its ranks, culminating as the Head of Diversity, Inclusion & Corporate Social Responsibility for the $14.5B revenue company, with a 58,000+ member workforce. In this position, she led enterprise-wide diversity, inclusion and social responsibility strategy, playing a key leadership role in attracting, developing and retaining top talent and ensuring an inclusive culture that extended beyond the Diversity & Inclusion function, with a focus on driving workforce performance and innovation through employee growth, belonging and greater purpose. She also held various leadership roles in Human Resources including Division Vice President of the company’s Major Account and Canada division.
Previously, Thomas-Petit spent over seven years at Barclays Capital (including over two years at Lehman Brothers before it was purchased by Barclays), where she ultimately became the HR Director for Global Operations, driving people strategy for 4000+ employees globally, and partnering with the Global Head of Investment Bank Operations to drive talent and performance management, development and compensation.
Prior to Barclays, Thomas-Petit spent eight years at JP Morgan Chase, where she held several roles including Vice President, HR for Shared Technology & Operations and Investment Bank Operations, leading people strategy for a newly merged global organization of 2400 employees.
Thomas-Petit holds a Master of Business Administration degree in Marketing and Business Strategy from Rutgers University and a Bachelor of Science in Marketing from Syracuse University, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude.
She resides in New Jersey with her family.
About AMC Networks
Known for its groundbreaking and celebrated original content, AMC Networks is the company behind the award-winning brands AMC, BBC AMERICA, IFC, SundanceTV, WE tv, and IFC Films. Its diverse line-up of popular and critically-acclaimed series and independent films include Killing Eve, Better Call Saul and The Walking Dead, which has been the #1 show on ad-supported cable television for ten consecutive years, as well as Portlandia, Brockmire, Love After Lockup, and the Oscar-winning Boyhood. Its original series Mad Men and Breaking Bad are widely recognized as being among the most influential and acclaimed shows in the history of TV. The Company also operates the subscription streaming services Acorn TV, Shudder, Sundance Now, and UMC; AMC Studios, its production business; AMC Networks International, its international programming business; and Levity Entertainment Group, its production services and comedy venues business. For more information, visit http://www.amcnetworks.com.