Rosabel Tao Named Senior VP for CBS Interactive

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Press release from CBS Interactive:

Rosabel Tao has been named Senior Vice President, Communications, for CBS Interactive. The appointment of Tao to the top communications post at the division was announced today by Jim Lanzone, President of CBS Interactive, and Gil Schwartz, Executive Vice President and Chief Communications Officer of CBS Corporation.

Tao, who will begin her assignment on May 14, will oversee all global external and internal communications and public relations efforts for CBS Interactive and its portfolio of digital brands, including CBS.com [1], CBSNews.com, CBSSports.com [2], CNET, GameSpot [3], TV.com [4], among many others.  She will work closely with the general managers of each property to plan public relations and communications strategies in support of their business objectives.  At the same time, Tao will work with CBS Interactive management and CBS Communications leadership across the corporation to communicate the division’s ongoing initiatives and build the value of the brand across its many constituencies in the public, the media and the investment community.

“With cool new initiatives popping up all over CBS Interactive, I’m very pleased that we are able to add such a talented executive to lead the way to communicate them,” said Lanzone.  “Rosabel has that enviable mix of experience at both big companies and startups.  I’m confident that as she works with Sarah Cain and the communications team, along with the rest of CBS Interactive management, Rosabel will play a key role as we build this business into the future.”

“CBS Interactive is a crucial part of our overall business strategy, with strong, growing online brands in its own right, as well as a key role in support of all our content-producing operations,” said Schwartz. “Rosabel is uniquely qualified to lead our efforts in this important job. She has a tremendous background in a wide range of communications disciplines, she is as well-versed in the digital space as anybody in the business, and she’s creative, smart and dynamic. I look forward to the contributions she will make, working closely with our communications executives in New York and Los Angeles, as we move forward to build the CBS Interactive brand.”

Tao brings two decades of experience in designing and orchestrating multi-disciplinary programs for a broad portfolio of companies ranging from global brands to startups.  She draws from a diverse background in corporate and consumer communications, technology publicity, social media, crisis management, litigation communications, employee communications, cause marketing, public affairs and community relations.

Before joining CBS, Tao founded and led a private communications consulting practice focusing on companies undergoing a pivotal moment in their growth, such as emerging brands or brands in transition. Her clients ranged from startups such as Chromatik, MuckerLab and Science Inc. to more established companies like eHarmony and uSamp.

Prior to that, Tao served as the Senior Vice President of Global Corporate Communications at Myspace and Myspace Music, where she oversaw all external and internal communications strategies and messaging across the U.S. and international territories. Before that, she was Vice President of Corporate Communications at technology startup Spot Runner, where she was an early team member and was responsible for all media relations, corporate positioning and messaging, blogger and analyst relations, and executive and employee communications.

Tao also served as Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications at Bank of America’s Consumer division, where she was responsible for executive communications for the President, media relations, internal communications and issues/crisis management. 

Earlier in her career, Tao worked for the world’s top public relations agencies in senior leadership positions, including Golin Harris as a Senior Vice President, Weber Shandwick as a Vice President and Fleishman-Hillard as an Account Supervisor.  Her clients included top brands like Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, Levi Strauss, Safeway, Schwab, KPMG Peat Marwick, the Oakland Raiders and many others.

A native of California, Tao holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Psychology from the University of California, Davis.