New York, NY – February 2, 2022 – AMC Networks’ Aisha Thomas-Petit, who joined the company in late 2020 as its first Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, has been elevated to Chief People and Diversity Officer. In this new, expanded role, Thomas-Petit will lead the company’s people and culture strategy, including global talent acquisition, leadership development and compensation and benefits, in addition to continuing to oversee the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion strategic priorities. She will continue to report to AMC Networks Interim CEO Matt Blank.
Thomas-Petit succeeds Chief Transformation & People Officer Jennifer Caserta, who has decided to depart the company after a nearly 20-year tenure. Since 2018, Caserta has overseen the evolution of AMC Networks’ people practices including organizational design and talent acquisition during the company’s digital transformation; she’s bolstered the company’s global employee relations, engagement, and learning and development efforts; and has instilled a culture of innovation. Previously, Caserta spent 14 years with the company’s IFC TV network, including as its President and General Manager.
“Aisha is a strategic, visionary leader and critical member of our executive leadership team who’s brought enormous talent and personal passion to cultivating and advancing the company’s commitment to DEI within our workforce, as well as behind the screen and on camera,” said AMC Networks Interim CEO Matt Blank. “Joining our people and culture practices with DEI, and with Aisha at the helm, will allow the company to bring a focused, unified approach to these two critical parts of our business. I look forward to Aisha bringing her deep background in each of these areas to foster a culture that attracts and retains the industry’s best leaders and storytellers, as we continue to transform our company and build our streaming future.”
Blank continued: “Jen is a versatile executive, who went from an operating role successfully running IFC TV to overseeing our global HR function and enriching our culture and the employee experience. She’s been a valuable asset to me and the senior leadership team, including navigating the organization through what has been a particularly challenging period in the face of the pandemic. As Jen moves forward into a new chapter, we’re hugely grateful for her leadership and all she’s contributed during her many years with the company.”
“I want to thank Matt for the opportunity to serve in this new role, and I thank Jen for her partnership,” said Thomas-Petit. “Uniting our people and DEI functions presents a powerful opportunity to accelerate our ability to grow our business and remain competitive. I look forward to impacting the company culture on a broader scale through our employees and work environment, in addition to continuing to impact who and what appears on our screens, in support of AMC Networks’ commitment to telling entertaining stories that reflect the full human experience.”
“I want to thank the company for giving me so many opportunities to make an impact on the business during what has been a nearly two-decades long run, ” said Caserta. “Whether it was turning IFC TV into a renowned comedy brand or revitalizing our people practices while navigating transformational change, it’s been a privilege — and also a lot of fun. I’ve been able to work with so many talented people at AMC Networks, which has always been a special kind of company. In passing the baton to Aisha and focusing on my own next step, I wish her well and know the company will have more great success to come.”
Following her appointment as Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer in November 2020, Thomas- Petit established three key DEI areas of focus for the company centered on talent and workplace culture; content and programming; and building a socially responsible and inclusive brand. Under her leadership, AMC Networks launched an internal Mentorship Collective program and partnered with Mentorship Matters to match underrepresented writers with industry leaders; expanded its Employee Resource Groups, boosting participation and engagement; partnered with Endeavor Content and Color of Change to adopt and drive utilization of the Inclusion Rider to increase diverse representation on sets; and collaborated on a job matching platform Coded for Inclusion in partnership with Staff Me Up and Hollywood leaders including Endeavor Content and Outlier Society, to elevate and empower underrepresented crew and change the way hiring happens in Hollywood.
Thomas-Petit joined AMC Networks from ADP, where she was Chief Diversity, Inclusion & Corporate Social Responsibility Officer for the $14.5B revenue company, with a 58,000+ member workforce. Previously, she directed Human Resources for Global Operations at Barclays Capital; and she was a vice president, Human Resources for JP Morgan Chase, where she led people strategy for a global organization of 2400 employees.
As AMC Networks’ Chief Transformation & People Officer, Caserta has played a key role, as an advisor and partner to the CEO and leadership team while spearheading the company’s strategic people practices leading human resources with a focus on engagement, talent assessment, compensation and rewards, and the use of data and human resource management systems. Caserta joined the company in 2004 and held various roles at IFC TV, including as its President and General Manager, transforming it from a niche, independent film network to an advertiser-supported destination for edgy comedy, with its “Always On. Slightly Off” sensibility and acclaimed and award-winning shows including Portlandia, Brockmire and Documentary Now!.
Prior to IFC, Caserta was Executive Vice President and General Manager of the music and youth-oriented Fuse network. She also served as Vice President of Advertising Sales Marketing for Court TV, and has held marketing positions at Oxygen Media, Food Network, Westwood One and the Radio Advertising Bureau.
ABOUT AMC NETWORKS:
AMC Networks (Nasdaq: AMCX) is a global entertainment company known for its popular and critically- acclaimed content. Its brands include targeted streaming services AMC+, Acorn TV, Shudder, Sundance Now, ALLBLK, and the newest addition to its targeted streaming portfolio, the anime-focused HIDIVE streaming service, in addition to AMC, BBC AMERICA (operated through a joint venture with BBC Studios), IFC, SundanceTV, WE tv and IFC Films. AMC Studios, the Company’s in-house studio, production and distribution operation, is behind some of the biggest titles and brands known to a global audience, including The Walking Dead, the Anne Rice catalog and the Agatha Christie library. The Company also operates AMC Networks International, its international programming business, and 25/7 Media, its production services business.