Rich Ross Named CEO Of Shine America

News Corp.-owned production company Shine Group today announced that Rich Ross has been appointed to the role of CEO, Shine America. The chairman of The Walt Disney Studios from October 2009 to April 2012 and president of Disney Channels Worldwide succeeds current Shine America CEO Carl Fennessy, following the latter’s pre-agreed, two-year term in Los Angeles. Fennessy will return to Australia, where he remains joint CEO of Shine Australia, in mid-2013, having undertaken a hand over with Ross who joins in January.

Shine America’s slate of formats includes MasterChef (Fox) and The Biggest Loser (NBC) and will include upcoming series The Face (Oxygen), the company’s first scripted pilot, The Bridge (FX) and first Spanish-language production Minuto Para Ganar (MundoFox). Recent months have also seen the launch of New York-based format label Ardaban and the expansion of the company’s digital, unscripted and ancillary divisions.

Alex Mahon, CEO Shine Group said: “We are delighted that Rich will be coming to Shine America to build on the brilliant and transformative work achieved under Carl’s tenure. Rich is an outstanding creative leader, responsible for not only launching iconic franchises but overseeing explosive growth in broadcast brands under his direction. He is perfectly suited to lead Shine America into its next phase of growth and complements Shine Group’s senior team of creative entrepreneurs globally.” 

Rich Ross said: “I am very excited to join Liz, Alex and the entire Shine team which has shown how a creatively-led content company can both be global in scope, yet nimble and entrepreneurial in local territories. I look forward to furthering the expansion of Shine America’s portfolio both by adapting Shine’s hit shows from around the world, as well as creating new original content.”

Ross began his career at Nickelodeon, rising to VP of program enterprises. He joined FX Networks in 1993 as part of its executive team at launch, overseeing development and production for the network.  In 1996, Ross joined Disney Channels Worldwide, rising  to president.