Carl D. Folta Upped to Viacom EVP Corporate Communications
Carl D. Folta has been upped to Viacom evp, corporate communications, and will serve as the company's chief communications strategist and spokesperson. Folta was evp, office of the chairman.
In his new role, he will be responsible for Viacom's overall communications activities, both internally and externally, as well as the coordination of communications at the company's operations, including MTV Networks, BET Networks, the Paramount Motion Picture Group and Famous Music. Folta will also oversee all financial communications, and will direct media relations activities for industry issues and public affairs, including regulatory, legislative and legal matters. Additionally, he will be responsible for managing corporate events and overseeing philanthropy activities and public affairs programs, including KNOW HIV/AIDS, the Peabody and Emmy Award-winning cross-platform public education partnership with CBS Corp. and Kaiser Family Foundation, which he initiated in 2003.
Folta succeeds Carole Robinson, who has been appointed evp/chief of staff for MTV Networks.
Philippe Dauman, president/ceo of Viacom, said: "Carl is a consummate communications professional who understands the strategic and financial complexities of our businesses and the industry. I know he will make a big contribution to Viacom in the future as we continue to expand and embrace the opportunities of the digital age. I am also pleased that I will have the opportunity to continue to work with Carole and that Viacom will continue to benefit from her knowledge, experience and talent as she moves to her new role at MTV Networks."
"I have known Carl for over a decade and worked side-by-side with him at Viacom during times of significant challenge and great success," said Thomas E. Dooley, sevp/chief administrative officer of Viacom, to whom Folta reports. "He is a highly effective leader and a seasoned communications counselor with more than 25 years of experience in every aspect of the public relations field, including financial and investor communications. I couldn't be more pleased to be teaming up with him again."
In his previous role in the office of the chairman, which he assumed in January 2006, Folta was advisor and spokesperson for the exec chairman of Viacom and CBS Corp., Sumner Redstone. Before that, he had been the senior communications exec for Viacom (which was separated from CBS Corp. in January 2006) for 12 years, most recently as evp, corporate relations.
Folta joined Viacom in April 1994 as vp, corporate relations, from Paramount Communications Inc., where he held various communications posts of increasing responsibility since 1984. Folta is a member of the board of the International Radio and Television Society.
Viacom (www.viacom.com) is a leading global entertainment content company, offering programming and content for television, motion pictures and digital platforms. Viacom's world-class brands include MTV Networks (MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Comedy Central, CMT: Country Music Television, Spike TV, TV Land, Logo and more than 130 networks around the world), BET Networks, Paramount Pictures, Paramount Home Ent., DreamWorks and Famous Music.