by Jeff Shell, the CEO of NBCUniversal, will leave the company “effective immediately” after an investigation into “misconduct,” the media company’s owner Comcast announced in a statement Sunday.
Comcast did not specify how Shell violated the policy. But in a statement, the executive said he had “an inappropriate relationship with a woman at the company.”
In his role as CEO of NBCUniversal, Shell oversaw an expanding portfolio of news and entertainment assets that includes the Universal Pictures movie studio; NBC News and MSNBC; cable channels Bravo and E!; and other well-known brands.
In a joint statement sent to Comcast and NBCUniversal employees, Comcast CEO Brian L. Roberts and Comcast Chairman Mike Cavanagh said they were “disappointed to share this news with you.”
“We built this company on a culture of integrity,” Roberts and Cavanagh said. “Nothing is more important than how we treat each other. You must count on your leaders to create a safe and respectful workplace. When our principles and policies are violated, we will always move quickly to take appropriate action, as we have here.”
Comcast said the investigation into Shell’s conduct was conducted by outside legal counsel.
In its statement, Shell said Sunday was his last day as chief executive and he apologized for his conduct.
“I am truly sorry for letting my colleagues at Comcast and NBCUniversal down,” Shell said.
Shell was named successor to former NBCUniversal CEO Steve Burke in late 2019 and formally assumed the role in January 2020. Previously, he was president of the company’s film and entertainment unit.
Comcast owns NBCUniversal, which is the parent company of NBC News.
The news comes at a key time for NBCUniversal. The media company is trying to boost viewership for its Peacock streaming service as ratings for traditional TV channels continue to decline. Universal Pictures recently released the highest-grossing movie of the year, “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” but the future of American theaters remains uncertain.
Shell previously worked at Fox Corporation, where he was a key television executive, according to his company profile.
Ali Gostanian contributed.
