Strauss Zelnick
CEO
ZelnickMedia Corp.
As one of the only executives to have run every type of major entertainment company including music, entertainment software, film and television, Strauss Zelnick is a leading expert in all facets of the media industry. In his newest venture, ZelnickMedia, he is capitalizing on his varied breadth of experience to create a dynamic and diverse media company.
ZelnickMedia holds interest in an array of media enterprises, providing general management and financial advisory services to its portfolio companies both in the U.S. and Asia. Investment and advisory relationships include Arkadium, Columbia Music Entertainment, Direct Holdings Worldwide, Lillian Vernon, National Lampoon, Online Testing Exchange, Savoy Jazz, Threshold Sports, Time Life, UGO Networks Inc. and WFX Rights Group.
Prior to forming ZelnickMedia, Zelnick was President and Chief Executive Officer of BMG Entertainment, a $4.7 billion music and entertainment company with more than 200 record labels and operations in 54 countries.
Zelnick's appointment as President and Chief Executive Officer of BMG Entertainment followed his tenure as President and Chief Executive Officer of the company's North American business unit from 1994 through 1998. Under Zelnick's leadership, BMG's success in North America included the remarkable ongoing performance of Arista Records, one of the world's leading record labels, and the establishment of RCA Records as one of the industry's hottest creative homes.
Before joining BMG Entertainment, Zelnick was President and Chief Executive Officer of Crystal Dynamics, a leading producer and distributor of interactive entertainment software. Prior to that, he spent four years as President and Chief Operating Officer of 20th Century Fox, where he managed all aspects of the worldwide motion picture and distribution business. Previously, he spent three years at Vestron Inc. as a senior executive, and rose to become President and Chief Operating Officer. Zelnick also served as Vice President, International Television for Columbia Pictures.
Zelnick holds an MBA and a J.D. from Harvard University and a B.A. from Wesleyan University. He is an associate member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and served on the Board of Directors of the Recording Industry Association of America and the Motion Picture Association of America. Zelnick currently is Chairman and CEO of Columbia Music Entertainment Inc., and serves on the boards of Insignia Financial Group, Inc., Vanguarde Media and Carver Bancorp, Inc. He also serves on the boards of trustees of Wesleyan University and WNYC.
