Comcast President Mike Cavanagh Speaks Out On Jeff Shell Shocker For First Time; Says He’ll Be Overseeing NBCUniversal “For A While”

deadline.com:

Newly interim NBCUniversal boss Mike Cavanagh has spoken out on the Jeff Shell shocker for the first time and said he’ll be in the post overseeing the entertainment unit “for a while.” Speaking at the Q&A section of today’s Comcast Q1 results, Cavanagh, who stepped into the breach this week following Shell’s departure amid sexual harassment and discrimination claims, said it is “unfortunate to have had the unexpected change.” But while Comcast President Cavanagh conceded he will “have to work harder,” he said he is “frankly energized to do so.” “Overseeing NBC is sustainable because as president I already oversee all of this and am close to the people that run the NBC businesses and corporate areas,” he added. “I’m going to be here for a long time and that is good for me and the company in the long term.

Maybe some day we’ll think there’s a better way to do it, and I will own the outcome anyway it turns out. But I’ll be there for a while.” There will be no change in strategy within the parks and studio business for the time being, Cavanagh added. “There is no reason for us to revisit the strategy [at the moment],” he said. “We’ll react as the environment changes but businesses are performing really well.

So job number one is to settle things down and make sure business leaders remain focused on the job at hand and we feel that is well underway.” Cavanagh stressed that he knows the business really well, having joined Comcast eight years ago and been promoted to President last year.

The former financial services exec joined the company as CFO. Speaking prior to Cavanagh, Comcast CEO Brian Roberts conceded that the Shell ouster was a “tough moment” while paying tribute to “the fabulous and tenured leadership team at