In TikTok Executive Overhaul, Disney Vet Zenia Mucha Joins As Chief Brand And Communications Officer

Dade Hayes
·8 min read
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TikTok is overhauling its executive ranks, with Chief Operating Officer V Pappas leaving the company and longtime Disney communications chief Zenia Mucha joining in a newly created role.

Mucha, who has done consulting work for TikTok and other companies since leaving her Disney post in early 2022, will take the title of Chief Brand and Communications Officer. Adam Presser, current TikTok Chief of Staff, will become TikTok’s Head of Operations.

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CEO Shou Chew laid out the changes at TikTok in a memo to employees (read it below).

Installing Mucha is a key step as the company looks to counter growing criticism on many fronts due to its parent company’s roots in China and claims that it serves up inappropriate content to children and lets objectionable videos circulate. In a 20-year career at Disney, Mucha was a key member of Bob Iger’s executive team as the media company pulled off a series of acquisitions and made its mark in the streaming race. Soon after Iger passed the CEO baton to Bob Chapek in 2020, Mucha and other senior execs left the fold.

This is not the first time that TikTok has tapped Disney’s exec roster for a significant hire. In 2020, longtime dealmaker and streaming chief Kevin Mayer joined the company as CEO after Chapek got the top job. Mayer’s run at TikTok was brief and eventful, with former President Donald Trump trying to force its sale and frequently agitating against the company. Mayer stepped down after three months and now co-runs Candle Media with Tom Staggs, with Pappas taking the helm on an interim basis before Chew’s appointment as CEO in 2021.

Political pressure on TikTok is continuing to mount from both parties in Congress and at the state level. Because its parent company, ByteDance, is based in China, skeptics assume TikTok acts a vehicle for harvesting data, which it must deliver to the Chinese government. With its exponential growth in recent years, the platform has increasingly sought to reassure advertisers and lawmakers it has no ill intentions or ulterior motives. Chew testified before Congress earlier this year, receiving a thorough grilling. “The bottom line is this,” he said of the company. “American data stored on American soil, by an American company, overseen by American personnel.”

In the memo, Chew said he had “greatly benefited” from Mucha’s “counsel and perspective” during her stint as a consultant. “She has tremendous instincts and has a strong vision for how best to grow and support the business,” he wrote. “She and I agree that in the spirit of Always Day 1, it is essential that we widen the aperture of our marketing and communications functions to further fortify TikTok as a beloved brand and one of the most trusted entertainment platforms in the world. With Zenia’s vast expertise and deep experience, we are well positioned to do so effectively.”

In a statement provided by the company, Mucha said, “TikTok’s ability to encourage creativity, connect people and create communities is nothing short of inspiring and I am excited to be joining this innovative and dynamic company.

Here is Chew’s full memo:

Team,

We have some important changes coming to our leadership team that I want to share with all of you.

After nearly five years as a valued leader on TikTok’s executive team, V. Pappas has decided to step down to refocus on their entrepreneurial passions. As part of that, they will be exiting as COO, and in addition to their new pursuits will be serving as a strategic advisor to the company. I want to take this opportunity to thank V for their many contributions over the years. Throughout their time at TikTok, they have been instrumental in growing the business, advocating for the company, elevating our product offerings and marketing campaigns, and fostering a positive community of creators and users. They have had a significant and lasting impact and we are truly grateful for their tireless efforts. I know V is looking forward to this next phase in their career, and we wish them all the best in their new capacity and future endeavors.

As we continue to evolve our organizational structure, I am pleased to share the following new changes. Adam Presser, current TikTok Chief of Staff, will become TikTok’s Head of Operations. 20-year Disney veteran Zenia Mucha will join the company in the new role of TikTok’s Chief Brand and Communications Officer.

In his new role as Head of Operations, Adam will assume responsibility for Global Operations, which includes Content, User Operations, and Distribution, while continuing to lead the Project Management Office. In this capacity, he will seek to further develop the voices of TikTok’s vibrant and diverse ecosystem and drive closer cross-divisional strategic planning and collaboration, in an effort to bring to life our mission of inspiring creativity and bringing joy to people by nurturing and supporting creators, users, and partners worldwide.

Lindsay Thomas and Kim Pham will join the Project Management Office and Nicole Iacopetti, Isaac Bess, Seth Melnick, and the Regional Operations and Marketing Leads – Rich Waterworth, Kim Farrell, Yoichi Sato, Angga Putra, Kinda Ibrahim, and Marisa Hammonds – will report to Adam.

Since joining TikTok in April 2022, Adam has led the TikTok PMO (Project Management Office) team, responsible for driving strategic planning, supporting the execution of business priorities, and guiding the development and implementation of key initiatives that are meaningfully impacting the company. Over the past year, he led the project management of EU Data Security (Project Clover), supported key Government Relations and Comms-led efforts, and has driven TikTok business strategy and alignment in pursuit of our 3-5-year plan. Prior to joining TikTok, Adam served as Executive Vice President, International at WarnerMedia, and the Head of WarnerMedia China, Australia, and New Zealand. Adam’s mandate across these regions included the distribution and marketing of WarnerMedia’s global films and TV series, the production of local language films and TV series, the operations of the company’s TV networks and the management of its ancillary businesses such as Games, Consumer Products, and Themed Experiences. In addition, he also led WarnerMedia International Home Entertainment Licensing.

In her new role as TikTok’s Chief Brand and Communications Officer, Zenia will focus on advancing the strategic vision of our brand and advising key businesses. She will be in charge of overseeing the following key corporate functions: Global Marketing and Global Communications.

Zenia brings vast experience and expertise from the entertainment industry and we are eager for her to hit the ground running. As Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Communications Officer for The Walt Disney Company, she led a 500-person global media relations team and played a key role in elevating Disney to one of the most admired companies in the world. Zenia served as Disney’s top spokesperson for over two decades, leading communications for all of Disney’s strategic business initiatives, including the acquisitions of Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and 21st Century Fox, as well as the launch of D23, the first-ever official Disney fan club, with members in 35+ countries, and the opening of Disney’s first theme park and resort in Mainland China, Shanghai Disney Resort. Throughout her career, Zenia has had an extraordinary track record of advising the highest-level corporate executives on strategic and crisis communications, media and investor relations, reputation management, brand optimization, and employee relations.

I’ve been fortunate to spend a lot of time with Zenia over the last few months in her role as a consultant and have greatly benefited from her counsel and perspective. She has tremendous instincts and has a strong vision for how best to grow and support the business. She and I agree that in the spirit of Always Day 1, it is essential that we widen the aperture of our Marketing and Communications functions to further fortify TikTok as a beloved brand and one of the most trusted entertainment platforms in the world. With Zenia’s vast expertise and deep experience, we are well positioned to do so effectively.

Kate Jhaveri, Jodi Seth, Hilary McQuaide, Erin Fors, and the Regional Communications Leads – Sophy Silver, Renata Polatti, Irina Pavlova, Rola Abu Hassan, Cheryl Long, and Tsubasa Sato – will report to Zenia.

As we embark on this next chapter, we are grateful to Zenia and Adam for their support and enthusiasm, and look forward to working closely with them as we evolve and Grow Together. I’d also like to thank V again for their contributions and continued commitment to the company. This is an important time for our company, and I am confident that we are in a strong position to match the opportunities ahead of us. Thanks for all you continue to do and keep up the great work!

Shou

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