Comcast CEO Brian Roberts Addresses Jeff Shell Ouster: ‘Obviously a Tough Moment’

thewrap.com:

Shell was terminated with cause on Sunday after Comcast investigated allegations that he engaged in inappropriate conduct with a female employee, later identified as Hadley Gamble.

Gamble, a CNBC anchor and senior international correspondent, filed a complaint alleging sexual harassment, her lawyer said.“During the investigation, evidence was uncovered that corroborated the allegations,” the company noted in an 8-K filing on Monday. “As a consequence, on April 23, 2023, the Company terminated Mr.

Shell’s employment With Cause under his employment agreement, effective immediately.”Shell, who first joined Comcast in 2004, took power as NBCUniversal CEO at the start of 2020 after working for the previous five years as the chairman of Universal Film and Entertainment Group.

He is the second executive in the past three years to depart NBCUniversal over inappropriate conduct, as former vice chairman Ron Meyer left the company in August 2020 over an extramarital affair with actress Charlotte Kirk.“I had an inappropriate relationship with a woman in the company, which I deeply regret,” Shell wrote in a memo to employees on Sunday. “I’m truly sorry I let my Comcast and NBCUniversal colleagues down, they are the most talented people in the business and the opportunity to work with them the last 19 years has been a privilege.”Gamble, who is based from CNBC’s Middle East headquarters in Abu Dhabi, covers energy, geopolitics and financial markets and is the anchor of “Capital Connection.” She also presents CNBC’s popular documentary franchise ‘Access: Middle East’, where she speaks to world leaders, international CEOs and philanthropists.