NBCUniversal makes Mark Marshall permanent ad chief

NEW YORK (Reuters) – NBCUniversal named Mark Marshall chairman of global advertising and partnerships Wednesday, making permanent a role he has filled since becoming interim chairman in May, when ad chief Linda Yaccarino left the company to become chief executive of Twitter, now called X.

“Mark stepped into this role on an interim basis at one of the most critical times of year for the ad sales business, and over the past three months he has more than proven himself,” NBCUniversal Media Group chairman Mark Lazarus said in a statement. 

Marshall helped lead NBCUniversal through the company’s annual Upfront event, when it sells air time to advertisers. He was named to the interim post days before the company’s annual presentation to advertisers at Radio City Music Hall.

NBCUniversal, which is owned by Comcast (NASDAQ:), said the company closed this year’s advertiser negotiations with total cash commitments roughly in line with last year, despite industry-wide economic headwinds.