John Stankey: Difference between revisions

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| occupation  = Chairman and CEO of [[AT&T]]
| occupation  = Chairman and CEO of [[AT&T]]
| education    = [[University of California, Los Angeles]] (MBA)<br>[[Loyola Marymount University]] (BBA)
| education    = [[University of California, Los Angeles]] (MBA)<br>[[Loyola Marymount University]] (BBA)
| known_for    = CEO of AT&T Inc., CEO of WarnerMedia
| known_for    = Leading AT&T as CEO; overseeing WarnerMedia restructuring and subsequent divestiture
}}
}}


'''John T. Stankey''' (born 1962) is an American business executive who serves as the chairman and chief executive officer of [[AT&T Inc.]], one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world. A career AT&T executive who joined the company's predecessor, Pacific Bell, in the 1980s, Stankey rose through a succession of leadership roles across the organization's technology, operations, and media divisions before being named CEO in July 2020, succeeding [[Randall L. Stephenson]].<ref name="cnbc-ceo">{{cite news |last=Sherman |first=Alex |date=2020-04-24 |title=AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson to step down |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/24/att-ceo-randall-stephenson-to-step-down.html |work=CNBC |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Before assuming the top position, he served as AT&T's president and chief operating officer and, prior to that, as CEO of [[WarnerMedia]], the entertainment conglomerate AT&T acquired in 2018.<ref name="nyt-ceo">{{cite news |last=Stelter |first=Brian |date=2020-04-24 |title=John Stankey will be AT&T's next CEO |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/24/business/media/att-ceo-john-stankey-randall-stephenson.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> His tenure as CEO has been defined by a strategic repositioning of AT&T away from the media and entertainment businesses it had acquired and toward a renewed focus on telecommunications infrastructure, particularly [[fiber-optic communication|fiber-optic broadband]] and [[5G]] wireless networks.<ref name="mckinsey">{{cite web |title=John Stankey talks about leaning into the long term at AT&T |url=https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/john-stankey-talks-about-leaning-into-the-long-term-at-at-and-t |publisher=McKinsey & Company |date=2025-07-08 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
'''John T. Stankey''' (born 1962) is an American business executive who serves as the chairman and chief executive officer of [[AT&T Inc.]], one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world. A career-long AT&T executive who joined the company's predecessor entities in the 1980s, Stankey rose through a succession of senior leadership roles spanning technology, operations, and media before being named CEO in July 2020, succeeding [[Randall L. Stephenson]].<ref name="cnbc-ceo">{{cite news |last=Sherman |first=Alex |date=2020-04-24 |title=AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson to step down |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/24/att-ceo-randall-stephenson-to-step-down.html |work=CNBC |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> His tenure has been defined by a strategic pivot: after overseeing AT&T's expansion into entertainment and media through the acquisition of [[Time Warner]] and the creation of [[WarnerMedia]], Stankey later led the company's decision to divest those assets and refocus on its core telecommunications business, including an aggressive expansion into [[fiber-optic communication|fiber-optic]] broadband infrastructure.<ref name="mckinsey">{{cite web |title=John Stankey talks about leaning into the long term at AT&T |url=https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/john-stankey-talks-about-leaning-into-the-long-term-at-at-and-t |publisher=McKinsey & Company |date=2025-07-08 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Before becoming CEO, Stankey served as AT&T's president and chief operating officer and, prior to that, as the first CEO of WarnerMedia following AT&T's $85 billion acquisition of Time Warner in 2018.<ref name="nyt-ceo">{{cite news |last=Ember |first=Sydney |date=2020-04-24 |title=AT&T Names John Stankey as New C.E.O. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/24/business/media/att-ceo-john-stankey-randall-stephenson.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Early Life ==
== Early Life ==


John T. Stankey was born in 1962 in the United States. Details about his family background and upbringing prior to his college years are limited in available public sources. He grew up during a period of significant transformation in the American telecommunications industry, which would eventually become the focus of his professional career.
John T. Stankey was born in 1962 in the United States. Limited public information is available regarding his early family life and upbringing. He grew up in the [[Los Angeles]] area, where he would later attend university.<ref name="latimes-profile">{{cite news |last=James |first=Meg |date=2020-04-24 |title=AT&T's John Stankey named CEO as Randall Stephenson retires |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2020-04-24/att-john-stankey-ceo-randall-stephenson-retires-warner-media-hbo |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Education ==
== Education ==


Stankey earned a [[Bachelor of Business Administration]] (BBA) degree from [[Loyola Marymount University]], a private Jesuit university in [[Los Angeles]], [[California]]. He subsequently obtained a [[Master of Business Administration]] (MBA) from the [[University of California, Los Angeles]] (UCLA).<ref name="att-leadership">{{cite web |title=AT&T Corporate Governance – Leadership |url=https://investors.att.com/corporate-governance/leadership |publisher=AT&T Inc. |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Both institutions are located in the greater Los Angeles area, where Stankey would begin his telecommunications career.
Stankey earned a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree from [[Loyola Marymount University]] in Los Angeles. He later obtained a [[Master of Business Administration]] (MBA) from the [[University of California, Los Angeles]] (UCLA) [[UCLA Anderson School of Management|Anderson School of Management]].<ref name="att-leadership">{{cite web |title=AT&T Leadership |url=https://investors.att.com/corporate-governance/leadership |publisher=AT&T Inc. |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Career ==
== Career ==
Stankey's career has been spent almost entirely within AT&T and its predecessor companies, spanning more than three decades of service in an industry that underwent dramatic consolidation and technological transformation during that period.


=== Early Career at Pacific Bell and SBC Communications ===
=== Early Career at Pacific Bell and SBC Communications ===


Stankey began his career in the telecommunications industry at [[Pacific Bell]], one of the [[Regional Bell Operating Companies]] (RBOCs) that resulted from the breakup of the Bell System in 1984. He held a variety of operational and strategic positions within the company as it evolved through multiple mergers that reshaped the American telecommunications landscape. In 1997, Pacific Bell's parent company, [[Pacific Telesis]], was acquired by [[SBC Communications]] in a deal that had been announced in April 1996 as a merger worth approximately $17 billion, consolidating two of the nation's largest regional telephone companies.<ref>{{cite news |date=1996-04-02 |title=2 Bell Companies Agree to Merger Worth $17 Billion |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/04/02/us/2-bell-companies-agree-to-merger-worth-17-billion.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Through this merger, Stankey became part of SBC Communications, where he continued to advance within the organization.
Stankey began his telecommunications career in the 1980s at [[Pacific Bell]], one of the [[Regional Bell Operating Company|Regional Bell Operating Companies]] (RBOCs) created by the breakup of the [[Bell System]] in 1984. He held a series of progressively senior positions within the company and its successors. Pacific Bell was a subsidiary of [[Pacific Telesis]], which in 1997 merged with [[SBC Communications]] in a deal valued at approximately $17 billion, consolidating two of the former Baby Bells into a single entity.<ref>{{cite news |date=1996-04-02 |title=2 Bell Companies Agree to Merger Worth $17 Billion |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/04/02/us/2-bell-companies-agree-to-merger-worth-17-billion.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Stankey continued to advance within SBC Communications, gaining experience in technology strategy and operations across the company's expanding footprint.


Over the course of his career at SBC and later AT&T (following SBC's acquisition of AT&T Corp. in 2005, after which SBC adopted the AT&T name), Stankey accumulated experience across multiple facets of the business. He held senior positions in technology, network operations, and corporate strategy. By the mid-2000s, he was among the company's most senior executives.<ref name="att-bio">{{cite web |title=John Stankey – AT&T Press Room |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011073853/http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=4800&cdvn=news&newsarticleid=21906 |publisher=AT&T Inc. |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref name="bloomberg">{{cite web |title=John Stankey – Bloomberg |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=9426908&privcapId=100231 |publisher=Bloomberg |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In 2005, SBC Communications completed its acquisition of [[AT&T Corp.]], the direct descendant of the original [[American Telephone & Telegraph Company]], and adopted the AT&T name. Stankey transitioned into the newly constituted AT&T Inc., where he would continue his ascent through the executive ranks.<ref name="att-leadership" />


=== Senior Leadership at AT&T ===
=== Senior Leadership Roles at AT&T ===


As AT&T grew through successive acquisitions — including the purchases of [[BellSouth]] in 2006 and [[DirecTV]] in 2015 — Stankey took on increasingly prominent roles. He served in a range of executive capacities encompassing AT&T's technology and operations, business solutions, and entertainment divisions. His broad operational portfolio made him one of the most versatile executives in the company's leadership ranks.<ref name="att-leadership" />
Over the years at AT&T, Stankey held a number of major leadership positions. He served as chief technology officer and oversaw the company's technology and network operations. He also led AT&T's business solutions unit and its strategy and business development operations. In 2007, AT&T announced organizational changes that placed Stankey in charge of significant operational areas.<ref>{{cite web |title=AT&T Press Release – Leadership Announcement |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071011073853/http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=4800&cdvn=news&newsarticleid=21906 |publisher=AT&T Inc. |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> These roles gave him broad exposure to virtually every aspect of AT&T's business, from network infrastructure and enterprise services to strategic planning and corporate development.


Stankey's role expanded significantly in the context of AT&T's $85 billion acquisition of [[Time Warner]] (subsequently renamed WarnerMedia), which closed in June 2018 after a protracted legal battle with the [[United States Department of Justice|U.S. Department of Justice]]. Following the completion of the deal, Stankey was placed in charge of integrating the newly acquired media properties into AT&T's broader business strategy.
By the mid-2010s, Stankey was widely seen within the company as one of the most experienced and capable executives in the senior leadership team, with deep institutional knowledge of both the legacy telephone business and the emerging opportunities in broadband, wireless, and digital services.


=== CEO of WarnerMedia ===
=== CEO of WarnerMedia ===


In June 2018, shortly after the Time Warner acquisition closed, AT&T announced a reorganization of its media properties under Stankey's leadership. He was named to oversee what would become WarnerMedia, the division encompassing [[HBO]], [[Warner Bros.]], [[Turner Broadcasting System|Turner]], and other entertainment assets.<ref>{{cite news |date=2018-06-15 |title=WarnerMedia: John Stankey Announces Leadership Structure |url=https://money.cnn.com/2018/06/15/media/warnermedia-john-stankey-announcements/index.html |work=CNN Business |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
AT&T's acquisition of [[Time Warner]] — which closed in June 2018 after a protracted legal battle with the [[United States Department of Justice]] — represented the company's most ambitious strategic move, bringing together one of the nation's largest telecommunications providers with a major entertainment and media conglomerate encompassing [[HBO]], [[Warner Bros.]], [[Turner Broadcasting System|Turner Broadcasting]], and other properties. Following the completion of the deal, AT&T reorganized the acquired assets under a new entity called [[WarnerMedia]], and Stankey was named its CEO.<ref name="cnn-warnermedia">{{cite news |date=2018-06-15 |title=WarnerMedia: John Stankey outlines changes at AT&T's new entertainment unit |url=https://money.cnn.com/2018/06/15/media/warnermedia-john-stankey-announcements/index.html |work=CNN |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


Stankey's tenure overseeing WarnerMedia was marked by significant organizational upheaval and a cultural clash between AT&T's corporate approach and the creative traditions of the entertainment properties it had acquired. In September 2017, even before the acquisition had formally closed, a ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' profile explored the challenges Stankey faced in bridging the gap between the telecommunications giant and the media company's distinct corporate culture.<ref>{{cite news |date=2017-09-07 |title=AT&T's John Stankey and the culture clash with Time Warner |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-stankey-att-time-warner-culture-20170907-htmlstory.html |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Stankey's appointment to lead WarnerMedia signaled AT&T's intention to closely integrate its media properties with its distribution networks. In this capacity, Stankey oversaw significant organizational changes at WarnerMedia. In early 2019, he implemented a major restructuring of the unit, reshaping its leadership and organizational structure.<ref name="wsj-shakeup">{{cite news |date=2019-03-04 |title=AT&T Shakes Up WarnerMedia Unit |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/at-t-shakes-up-warner-media-unit-11551708372 |work=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The restructuring led to notable executive departures, including that of longtime HBO chief [[Richard Plepler]], whose exit was widely covered in the media and seen as indicative of a cultural shift at the storied premium cable network under its new corporate parent.<ref>{{cite news |date=2019-03 |title=What's Next for HBO with Plepler Out |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/03/whats-next-for-hbo-with-plepler-out |work=Vanity Fair |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


One of the most prominent departures during this period was that of [[Richard Plepler]], the longtime CEO of HBO, who resigned in February 2019. Plepler's departure was seen by many in the media industry as emblematic of the tensions between AT&T's data-driven, efficiency-oriented management philosophy and the premium content culture that had defined HBO under Plepler's leadership.<ref>{{cite news |date=2019-03 |title=What's Next for HBO with Plepler Out |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/03/whats-next-for-hbo-with-plepler-out |work=Vanity Fair |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> In March 2019, AT&T undertook a broader shake-up of the WarnerMedia unit under Stankey's direction.<ref>{{cite news |date=2019-03-04 |title=AT&T Shakes Up Warner Media Unit |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/at-t-shakes-up-warner-media-unit-11551708372 |work=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
As early as 2017, even before the Time Warner acquisition closed, Stankey had been involved in evaluating how AT&T would integrate the media company's operations and culture. A ''Los Angeles Times'' profile at the time examined how AT&T, as a large telecommunications company, would navigate the cultural differences involved in managing creative entertainment businesses.<ref>{{cite news |last=James |first=Meg |date=2017-09-07 |title=What AT&T exec John Stankey's role says about its plan for Time Warner |url=https://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-stankey-att-time-warner-culture-20170907-htmlstory.html |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In April 2020, WarnerMedia announced the appointment of [[Jason Kilar]], the former CEO of [[Hulu]], as CEO of WarnerMedia, as Stankey prepared to transition to the top role at AT&T's parent company.<ref>{{cite news |last=Steel |first=Emily |date=2020-04-01 |title=WarnerMedia Names Jason Kilar as C.E.O. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/01/business/media/warner-media-jason-kilar-john-stankey.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In April 2020, Stankey appointed [[Jason Kilar]], the former CEO of [[Hulu]], to serve as the new CEO of WarnerMedia, as Stankey prepared to assume the top leadership role at AT&T's parent company.<ref>{{cite news |last=Koblin |first=John |date=2020-04-01 |title=WarnerMedia Names Jason Kilar as C.E.O. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/01/business/media/warner-media-jason-kilar-john-stankey.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


=== CEO of AT&T ===
=== CEO of AT&T ===


On April 24, 2020, AT&T announced that Stankey would succeed Randall Stephenson as chief executive officer, effective July 1, 2020. Stephenson, who had led AT&T since 2007, announced he would step down as CEO and transition to the role of executive chairman before retiring from the board in January 2021.<ref name="cnbc-ceo" /><ref name="nyt-ceo" /><ref>{{cite news |date=2020-04-24 |title=AT&T CEO Stephenson to step down July 1, succeeded by John Stankey |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2020/04/24/at-t-ceo-stephenson-step-down-july-1-succeeded-john-stankey/3021114001/ |work=USA Today |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The announcement came in the midst of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], which was creating enormous disruptions across the economy. Stankey also subsequently became chairman of the board.<ref>{{cite news |date=2020-04-24 |title=AT&T CEO John Stankey steps down from board of UPS |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/att-ceo-john-stankey-steps-down-from-board-of-ups-4087704/ |work=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
On April 24, 2020, AT&T announced that Stephenson would retire as CEO effective July 1, 2020, and that Stankey would succeed him.<ref name="cnbc-ceo" /> The transition occurred during the early months of the [[COVID-19 pandemic]], which was affecting businesses across all sectors. Stankey also became chairman of the AT&T board of directors.<ref name="nyt-ceo" /><ref name="usatoday-succession">{{cite news |date=2020-04-24 |title=AT&T CEO Stephenson to step down July 1, succeeded by John Stankey |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2020/04/24/at-t-ceo-stephenson-step-down-july-1-succeeded-john-stankey/3021114001/ |work=USA Today |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


The ''Los Angeles Times'' noted that Stankey inherited a company facing a number of significant challenges, including heavy debt from the Time Warner acquisition, growing competition in wireless and broadband markets, declining pay-TV subscribers, and the economic fallout from the pandemic.<ref>{{cite news |date=2020-04-24 |title=AT&T's John Stankey is new CEO as Randall Stephenson retires |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2020-04-24/att-john-stankey-ceo-randall-stephenson-retires-warner-media-hbo |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Upon assuming the role, Stankey inherited a company carrying substantial debt from its acquisitions of both [[DirecTV]] (completed in 2015) and Time Warner. In the months that followed, he initiated a strategic reorientation that represented a significant departure from the diversification strategy pursued under Stephenson. Rather than continuing to build AT&T into a vertically integrated telecommunications-and-media conglomerate, Stankey moved to divest the media and entertainment assets and refocus the company on its core connectivity businesses.


==== Strategic Repositioning: Divesting Media Assets ====
==== Divestiture of Media and Entertainment Assets ====


One of the most consequential decisions of Stankey's tenure as CEO was the reversal of AT&T's media acquisition strategy. Rather than continuing to build out the company's entertainment empire, Stankey moved to divest the media and pay-TV assets that his predecessor had spent billions acquiring, in order to reduce debt and refocus the company on its core telecommunications business.
In February 2021, AT&T announced a deal to spin off its interest in [[DirecTV]] into a new standalone company in partnership with [[TPG Capital|TPG]], the private equity firm. Under the terms of the agreement, TPG acquired a 30% stake in the new DirecTV entity, while AT&T retained a 70% interest. The transaction valued DirecTV at approximately $16.25 billion — substantially less than the roughly $49 billion AT&T had paid for the satellite television provider in 2015.<ref>{{cite news |date=2021-02-25 |title=AT&T Deal For DirecTV With Private Equity Firm TPG |url=https://deadline.com/2021/02/att-deal-directv-with-private-equity-firm-tpg-1234701305/ |work=Deadline Hollywood |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The transaction was formally completed in August 2021, with DirecTV becoming a standalone video business.<ref>{{cite news |date=2021-08-02 |title=AT&T's DirecTV to become standalone video business |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/atts-directv-become-standalone-video-business-2021-08-02 |work=Reuters |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In February 2021, AT&T announced a deal to sell a significant stake in [[DirecTV]] to the private equity firm [[TPG Capital|TPG]], valuing the satellite television business at approximately $16.25 billion — far below the $49 billion AT&T had paid to acquire DirecTV in 2015. Under the terms of the agreement, DirecTV would become a standalone video business.<ref>{{cite news |date=2021-02 |title=AT&T Closes Deal For DirecTV With Private Equity Firm TPG |url=https://deadline.com/2021/02/att-deal-directv-with-private-equity-firm-tpg-1234701305/ |work=Deadline |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=2021-08-02 |title=AT&T's DirecTV to become standalone video business |url=https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/atts-directv-become-standalone-video-business-2021-08-02 |work=Reuters |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In May 2021, AT&T announced an even larger transaction: the planned merger of WarnerMedia with [[Discovery, Inc.]] to create a new standalone media company, which would eventually be named [[Warner Bros. Discovery]]. The deal represented a reversal of the media strategy that had been central to AT&T's corporate identity under Stephenson. The ''Washington Post'' analyzed the financial implications of the transaction, noting questions about the ultimate value AT&T had derived from its Time Warner acquisition.<ref>{{cite news |date=2021-05-22 |title=AT&T-Discovery deal raises questions about value and strategy |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/05/22/att-discovery-value-finance/ |work=The Washington Post |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In May 2021, AT&T announced an even larger transaction: the spin-off of WarnerMedia, which would be combined with [[Discovery, Inc.]] to create a new standalone media company, later named [[Warner Bros. Discovery]]. The deal effectively unwound the Time Warner acquisition that had been the centerpiece of Stephenson's strategy. The ''Washington Post'' reported on the financial implications of the deal, noting the significant write-down in value from what AT&T had originally paid.<ref>{{cite news |date=2021-05-22 |title=AT&T Discovery Value Finance |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/05/22/att-discovery-value-finance/ |work=The Washington Post |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
==== Compensation and Governance ====


These divestitures represented a fundamental shift in AT&T's corporate strategy. Stankey framed the moves as necessary to allow AT&T to invest in its core infrastructure businesses — particularly fiber-optic broadband expansion and 5G wireless network deployment — while reducing the company's substantial debt burden.<ref name="mckinsey" />
Stankey's compensation as CEO attracted attention during a period in which executive pay at major corporations was under increased scrutiny. In 2021, ''The New York Times'' reported on CEO compensation during the pandemic, including Stankey's pay, in the context of broader public debate about executive pay practices at large American companies.<ref>{{cite news |date=2021-04-24 |title=C.E.O.s, Pandemic and Compensation |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/24/business/ceos-pandemic-compensation.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> In May 2021, AT&T's executive compensation plan received a negative advisory vote from shareholders — a non-binding "say on pay" vote — alongside a similar rejection at [[General Electric]], drawing attention from the financial press.<ref>{{cite news |date=2021-05-04 |title=General Electric, AT&T Investors Reject CEO Pay Plans |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/general-electric-at-t-investors-reject-ceo-pay-plans-11620147204 |work=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


==== Executive Compensation Controversy ====
Stankey also stepped down from the board of directors of [[United Parcel Service]] (UPS) during this period, as reported by ''The Hollywood Reporter''.<ref>{{cite news |date= |title=AT&T CEO John Stankey Steps Down From Board of UPS |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/att-ceo-john-stankey-steps-down-from-board-of-ups-4087704/ |work=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In 2021, AT&T shareholders rejected the company's executive pay plan in a non-binding "say-on-pay" vote, joining [[General Electric]] as one of the most prominent companies to face such a rebuke. The ''Wall Street Journal'' reported on the investor dissatisfaction with CEO compensation packages at both companies, amid growing scrutiny of executive pay across corporate America.<ref>{{cite news |date=2021-05-04 |title=General Electric, AT&T Investors Reject CEO Pay Plans |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/general-electric-at-t-investors-reject-ceo-pay-plans-11620147204 |work=The Wall Street Journal |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> The ''New York Times'' also covered CEO compensation during the pandemic period, including Stankey's pay.<ref>{{cite news |date=2021-04-24 |title=CEOs' Pandemic Compensation |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/24/business/ceos-pandemic-compensation.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
==== Fiber Expansion and Long-Term Strategy ====


==== Focus on Fiber and 5G ====
With the media assets divested, Stankey articulated a strategy centered on what he described as a long-term investment in connectivity infrastructure, with a particular emphasis on [[fiber-to-the-premises|fiber-to-the-home]] broadband expansion. In a July 2025 interview with [[McKinsey & Company]], Stankey discussed the rationale behind AT&T's repositioning and outlined the company's plans for continued fiber buildout, which he characterized as a major long-term investment in the company's future.<ref name="mckinsey" />


With the media divestitures completed, Stankey has directed AT&T's strategy toward long-term investment in telecommunications infrastructure. In a July 2025 interview with McKinsey & Company, Stankey discussed his decision-making around the company's repositioning and outlined plans for continued investment in fiber-optic broadband and wireless networks. He described the strategic approach as "leaning into the long term," emphasizing capital-intensive infrastructure investment over shorter-term diversification plays.<ref name="mckinsey" />
Speaking at a February 2025 appearance in connection with the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament, Stankey addressed the competitive dynamics of the fiber-optics market and AT&T's growth outlook, reiterating the company's focus on expanding its fiber footprint.<ref>{{cite news |date=2025-02 |title=AT&T CEO John Stankey on the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, fiber optics race and long-term growth outlook |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news/at-t-ceo-john-stankey-on-the-pebble-beach-pro-am-fiber-optics-race-and-long-term-growth-outlook/vi-AA1WinwS |work=MSN |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In a February 2026 appearance on CNBC's ''Squawk Box'' at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am tournament, Stankey discussed the competitive landscape for fiber optics and AT&T's long-term growth outlook, reiterating the company's commitment to expanding its fiber footprint.<ref>{{cite news |date=2026-02 |title=AT&T CEO John Stankey on the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, fiber optics race and long-term growth outlook |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news/at-t-ceo-john-stankey-on-the-pebble-beach-pro-am-fiber-optics-race-and-long-term-growth-outlook/vi-AA1WinwS |work=MSN |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In December 2025, at the UBS Global Media & Communications Conference, Stankey provided updates to shareholders and discussed a range of topics including the competitive threat from [[low Earth orbit]] (LEO) satellite operators such as [[SpaceX]]'s [[Starlink]]. Stankey shared his perspective on whether satellite-based broadband posed a meaningful disruption to traditional wireless and broadband providers.<ref>{{cite news |date=2025-12-11 |title=AT&T's Stankey shares perspective on competition from LEO satellites |url=https://www.fierce-network.com/wireless/atts-stankey-shares-perspective-competition-leo-satellites |work=Fierce Network |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=AT&T to Webcast CEO John Stankey at UBS Conference |url=https://about.att.com/story/2025/stankey-ubs-conference.html |publisher=AT&T Newsroom |date=2025-12-02 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=2025-12-08 |title=John Stankey to Update Shareholders at UBS Global Media & Communications Conference on Dec. 9 |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/john-stankey-to-update-shareholders-at-ubs-global-media--communications-conference-on-dec-9-302635721.html |work=PR Newswire |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
 
At the UBS Global Media & Communications Conference in December 2025, Stankey also addressed questions about potential competitive threats from [[low Earth orbit]] (LEO) satellite operators, sharing his perspective on whether wireless investors should be concerned about disruption from satellite-based communications services.<ref>{{cite news |date=2025-12-11 |title=AT&T's Stankey shares perspective on competition from LEO satellites |url=https://www.fierce-network.com/wireless/atts-stankey-shares-perspective-competition-leo-satellites |work=Fierce Network |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=AT&T to Webcast CEO John Stankey at UBS Conference |url=https://about.att.com/story/2025/stankey-ubs-conference.html |publisher=AT&T Newsroom |date=2025-12-02 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=2025-12-08 |title=John Stankey to Update Shareholders at UBS Global Media & Communications Conference on Dec. 9 |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/john-stankey-to-update-shareholders-at-ubs-global-media--communications-conference-on-dec-9-302635721.html |work=PR Newswire |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


==== Workplace Culture and the 2025 Memo ====
==== Workplace Culture and the 2025 Memo ====


In August 2025, Stankey generated considerable public attention with an internal memo to AT&T employees addressing workplace culture and the company's [[return to office]] (RTO) policies. The memo, which was described as unusually blunt in its language, laid out Stankey's expectations regarding employee commitment and loyalty. ''Business Insider'' reported that the memo quickly went viral, becoming a test case for how corporate leaders communicate about return-to-office mandates and workplace expectations in the post-pandemic era.<ref>{{cite news |date=2025-08-17 |title=The AT&T CEO's blunt memo is a test case for leaders |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/ceos-business-leaders-reaction-att-john-stankey-memo-2025-8 |work=Business Insider |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In August 2025, Stankey attracted widespread public attention for an internal memorandum to AT&T employees that addressed topics including workplace culture, employee loyalty, and [[return to office]] policies. The memo, which was reported on extensively in the business press, was described as unusually direct in tone. ''Business Insider'' characterized it as a case study in leadership communication, reporting that Stankey's memo told employees "exactly where he stands on workplace loyalty and RTO," and that other CEOs weighed in on the implications of such candid corporate communication.<ref>{{cite news |date=2025-08-17 |title=The AT&T CEO's blunt memo is a test case for leaders |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/ceos-business-leaders-reaction-att-john-stankey-memo-2025-8 |work=Business Insider |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


The memo attracted analysis from business communications professionals. Ragan Communications named the memo one of the top corporate communications stories of 2025, examining what the memo did effectively from a leadership communications standpoint.<ref>{{cite web |title=Top Stories of 2025: What AT&T CEO's memo did right |url=https://www.ragan.com/what-att-ceos-memo-did-right/ |publisher=Ragan Communications |date=2025 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
Ragan Communications included the memo in its countdown of the top communications stories of 2025, analyzing what the memo "did right" from a corporate communications standpoint.<ref>{{cite web |title=Top Stories of 2025: What AT&T CEO's memo did right |url=https://www.ragan.com/what-att-ceos-memo-did-right/ |publisher=Ragan Communications |date=2025 |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


In December 2025, at the UBS conference, Stankey reflected on the memo and the broader issue of corporate culture change. In comments reported by ''Business Insider'', he acknowledged that he had made a mistake in how quickly he addressed company culture, stating that he was "too slow" in making changes and that the viral memo was part of an ongoing process of cultural transformation at AT&T.<ref>{{cite news |date=2025-12-09 |title=AT&T CEO says he made a mistake in how he went about fixing company culture — but the viral memo wasn't it |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/att-ceo-john-stankey-mistake-addressing-company-culture-viral-memo-2025-12 |work=Business Insider |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>
In a December 2025 interview, Stankey reflected on the episode, stating that his mistake was not the memo itself but rather that he had been "too slow on changing the company's culture." He described the memo as part of a broader process of cultural change at AT&T.<ref>{{cite news |date=2025-12-09 |title=AT&T CEO says he made a mistake in how he went about fixing company culture — but the viral memo wasn't it |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/att-ceo-john-stankey-mistake-addressing-company-culture-viral-memo-2025-12 |work=Business Insider |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Personal Life ==
== Personal Life ==


Stankey is based in the [[Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex]], where AT&T is headquartered. He previously served on the board of directors of [[United Parcel Service]] (UPS), stepping down from that position after assuming the CEO role at AT&T.<ref>{{cite news |date=2020-04-24 |title=AT&T CEO John Stankey steps down from board of UPS |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/att-ceo-john-stankey-steps-down-from-board-of-ups-4087704/ |work=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref> Limited additional details about his personal life are publicly documented.
Stankey has maintained a relatively private personal life. He is based in the [[Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex]], where AT&T is headquartered. He formerly served on the board of directors of [[United Parcel Service]] (UPS) before stepping down to focus on his responsibilities at AT&T.<ref>{{cite news |title=AT&T CEO John Stankey Steps Down From Board of UPS |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/att-ceo-john-stankey-steps-down-from-board-of-ups-4087704/ |work=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=2026-02-23}}</ref>


== Legacy ==
== Legacy ==


Stankey's tenure as CEO of AT&T is primarily characterized by the strategic unwinding of the company's media ambitions and a reorientation toward telecommunications infrastructure investment. The decision to divest DirecTV and spin off WarnerMedia — reversing billions of dollars in acquisitions made under his predecessor — represented one of the most significant corporate strategy reversals in the American telecommunications industry in the early 2020s.
Stankey's leadership of AT&T has been defined by a period of significant corporate transformation. He oversaw one of the most substantial strategic reversals in recent American corporate history: the unwinding of AT&T's media and entertainment portfolio — assets the company had spent tens of billions of dollars to acquire — in favor of a return to the company's telecommunications roots. The decision to divest WarnerMedia through its merger with Discovery, Inc. and to spin off DirecTV represented an acknowledgment that the vertically integrated telecommunications-and-media model that AT&T had pursued under Stephenson had not produced the anticipated results.


The DirecTV sale to TPG at a fraction of the original acquisition price and the WarnerMedia-Discovery merger both resulted in substantial reductions in the value AT&T had attributed to those properties. However, the divestitures enabled AT&T to reduce its debt load and redirect capital toward its fiber-optic broadband and 5G wireless network expansion programs.
Under Stankey's leadership, AT&T has reoriented its capital allocation priorities toward fiber broadband and 5G wireless infrastructure. The company's fiber expansion strategy, which Stankey has discussed in multiple public forums including his McKinsey interview and investor conferences, represents a bet on the long-term value of high-speed fixed-line connectivity in an increasingly digital economy.<ref name="mckinsey" />


Stankey's long-term legacy will likely be assessed based on whether the company's infrastructure-first strategy — the approach he has described as "leaning into the long term" — delivers sustained growth and competitive advantage in an evolving telecommunications landscape that increasingly includes potential competition from LEO satellite operators and other emerging technologies.<ref name="mckinsey" />
Stankey's 2025 employee memo and the public discussion it generated have also contributed to broader conversations about corporate leadership communication, workplace culture, and return-to-office policies in the post-pandemic era. His willingness to address these issues directly, and his subsequent public reflections on the episode, have been cited in business media discussions about executive communication style.


His 2025 employee memo also contributed to the broader national conversation about post-pandemic workplace norms, return-to-office mandates, and the evolving expectations between employers and employees in corporate America.
As a career-long AT&T executive who spent more than three decades rising through the company's ranks, Stankey represents a model of institutional leadership — one shaped by deep familiarity with the company's operations, culture, and history, but also tested by the need to make difficult strategic decisions that reversed the course set by his predecessors.


== References ==
== References ==
<references />
<references />


[[Category:Business executives]]
[[Category:American people]]
[[Category:1962 births]]
[[Category:1962 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Business executives]]
[[Category:AT&T people]]
[[Category:American people]]
[[Category:American chief executives]]
[[Category:American chief executives]]
[[Category:AT&T people]]
[[Category:American telecommunications industry businesspeople]]
[[Category:Loyola Marymount University alumni]]
[[Category:Loyola Marymount University alumni]]
[[Category:University of California, Los Angeles alumni]]
[[Category:University of California, Los Angeles alumni]]
[[Category:Anderson School of Management alumni]]
[[Category:UCLA Anderson School of Management alumni]]
[[Category:American telecommunications industry businesspeople]]
[[Category:American chairpersons of corporations]]
[[Category:American chairpersons of corporations]]
[[Category:WarnerMedia people]]
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Latest revision as of 04:35, 24 February 2026





John Stankey
Stankey in 2025
John Stankey
BornJohn T. Stankey
1962
NationalityAmerican
OccupationChairman and CEO of AT&T
Known forLeading AT&T as CEO; overseeing WarnerMedia restructuring and subsequent divestiture
EducationUniversity of California, Los Angeles (MBA)
Loyola Marymount University (BBA)

John T. Stankey (born 1962) is an American business executive who serves as the chairman and chief executive officer of AT&T Inc., one of the largest telecommunications companies in the world. A career-long AT&T executive who joined the company's predecessor entities in the 1980s, Stankey rose through a succession of senior leadership roles spanning technology, operations, and media before being named CEO in July 2020, succeeding Randall L. Stephenson.[1] His tenure has been defined by a strategic pivot: after overseeing AT&T's expansion into entertainment and media through the acquisition of Time Warner and the creation of WarnerMedia, Stankey later led the company's decision to divest those assets and refocus on its core telecommunications business, including an aggressive expansion into fiber-optic broadband infrastructure.[2] Before becoming CEO, Stankey served as AT&T's president and chief operating officer and, prior to that, as the first CEO of WarnerMedia following AT&T's $85 billion acquisition of Time Warner in 2018.[3]

Early Life

John T. Stankey was born in 1962 in the United States. Limited public information is available regarding his early family life and upbringing. He grew up in the Los Angeles area, where he would later attend university.[4]

Education

Stankey earned a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. He later obtained a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Anderson School of Management.[5]

Career

Stankey's career has been spent almost entirely within AT&T and its predecessor companies, spanning more than three decades of service in an industry that underwent dramatic consolidation and technological transformation during that period.

Early Career at Pacific Bell and SBC Communications

Stankey began his telecommunications career in the 1980s at Pacific Bell, one of the Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs) created by the breakup of the Bell System in 1984. He held a series of progressively senior positions within the company and its successors. Pacific Bell was a subsidiary of Pacific Telesis, which in 1997 merged with SBC Communications in a deal valued at approximately $17 billion, consolidating two of the former Baby Bells into a single entity.[6] Stankey continued to advance within SBC Communications, gaining experience in technology strategy and operations across the company's expanding footprint.

In 2005, SBC Communications completed its acquisition of AT&T Corp., the direct descendant of the original American Telephone & Telegraph Company, and adopted the AT&T name. Stankey transitioned into the newly constituted AT&T Inc., where he would continue his ascent through the executive ranks.[5]

Senior Leadership Roles at AT&T

Over the years at AT&T, Stankey held a number of major leadership positions. He served as chief technology officer and oversaw the company's technology and network operations. He also led AT&T's business solutions unit and its strategy and business development operations. In 2007, AT&T announced organizational changes that placed Stankey in charge of significant operational areas.[7] These roles gave him broad exposure to virtually every aspect of AT&T's business, from network infrastructure and enterprise services to strategic planning and corporate development.

By the mid-2010s, Stankey was widely seen within the company as one of the most experienced and capable executives in the senior leadership team, with deep institutional knowledge of both the legacy telephone business and the emerging opportunities in broadband, wireless, and digital services.

CEO of WarnerMedia

AT&T's acquisition of Time Warner — which closed in June 2018 after a protracted legal battle with the United States Department of Justice — represented the company's most ambitious strategic move, bringing together one of the nation's largest telecommunications providers with a major entertainment and media conglomerate encompassing HBO, Warner Bros., Turner Broadcasting, and other properties. Following the completion of the deal, AT&T reorganized the acquired assets under a new entity called WarnerMedia, and Stankey was named its CEO.[8]

Stankey's appointment to lead WarnerMedia signaled AT&T's intention to closely integrate its media properties with its distribution networks. In this capacity, Stankey oversaw significant organizational changes at WarnerMedia. In early 2019, he implemented a major restructuring of the unit, reshaping its leadership and organizational structure.[9] The restructuring led to notable executive departures, including that of longtime HBO chief Richard Plepler, whose exit was widely covered in the media and seen as indicative of a cultural shift at the storied premium cable network under its new corporate parent.[10]

As early as 2017, even before the Time Warner acquisition closed, Stankey had been involved in evaluating how AT&T would integrate the media company's operations and culture. A Los Angeles Times profile at the time examined how AT&T, as a large telecommunications company, would navigate the cultural differences involved in managing creative entertainment businesses.[11]

In April 2020, Stankey appointed Jason Kilar, the former CEO of Hulu, to serve as the new CEO of WarnerMedia, as Stankey prepared to assume the top leadership role at AT&T's parent company.[12]

CEO of AT&T

On April 24, 2020, AT&T announced that Stephenson would retire as CEO effective July 1, 2020, and that Stankey would succeed him.[1] The transition occurred during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, which was affecting businesses across all sectors. Stankey also became chairman of the AT&T board of directors.[3][13]

Upon assuming the role, Stankey inherited a company carrying substantial debt from its acquisitions of both DirecTV (completed in 2015) and Time Warner. In the months that followed, he initiated a strategic reorientation that represented a significant departure from the diversification strategy pursued under Stephenson. Rather than continuing to build AT&T into a vertically integrated telecommunications-and-media conglomerate, Stankey moved to divest the media and entertainment assets and refocus the company on its core connectivity businesses.

Divestiture of Media and Entertainment Assets

In February 2021, AT&T announced a deal to spin off its interest in DirecTV into a new standalone company in partnership with TPG, the private equity firm. Under the terms of the agreement, TPG acquired a 30% stake in the new DirecTV entity, while AT&T retained a 70% interest. The transaction valued DirecTV at approximately $16.25 billion — substantially less than the roughly $49 billion AT&T had paid for the satellite television provider in 2015.[14] The transaction was formally completed in August 2021, with DirecTV becoming a standalone video business.[15]

In May 2021, AT&T announced an even larger transaction: the planned merger of WarnerMedia with Discovery, Inc. to create a new standalone media company, which would eventually be named Warner Bros. Discovery. The deal represented a reversal of the media strategy that had been central to AT&T's corporate identity under Stephenson. The Washington Post analyzed the financial implications of the transaction, noting questions about the ultimate value AT&T had derived from its Time Warner acquisition.[16]

Compensation and Governance

Stankey's compensation as CEO attracted attention during a period in which executive pay at major corporations was under increased scrutiny. In 2021, The New York Times reported on CEO compensation during the pandemic, including Stankey's pay, in the context of broader public debate about executive pay practices at large American companies.[17] In May 2021, AT&T's executive compensation plan received a negative advisory vote from shareholders — a non-binding "say on pay" vote — alongside a similar rejection at General Electric, drawing attention from the financial press.[18]

Stankey also stepped down from the board of directors of United Parcel Service (UPS) during this period, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter.[19]

Fiber Expansion and Long-Term Strategy

With the media assets divested, Stankey articulated a strategy centered on what he described as a long-term investment in connectivity infrastructure, with a particular emphasis on fiber-to-the-home broadband expansion. In a July 2025 interview with McKinsey & Company, Stankey discussed the rationale behind AT&T's repositioning and outlined the company's plans for continued fiber buildout, which he characterized as a major long-term investment in the company's future.[2]

Speaking at a February 2025 appearance in connection with the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am golf tournament, Stankey addressed the competitive dynamics of the fiber-optics market and AT&T's growth outlook, reiterating the company's focus on expanding its fiber footprint.[20]

In December 2025, at the UBS Global Media & Communications Conference, Stankey provided updates to shareholders and discussed a range of topics including the competitive threat from low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite operators such as SpaceX's Starlink. Stankey shared his perspective on whether satellite-based broadband posed a meaningful disruption to traditional wireless and broadband providers.[21][22][23]

Workplace Culture and the 2025 Memo

In August 2025, Stankey attracted widespread public attention for an internal memorandum to AT&T employees that addressed topics including workplace culture, employee loyalty, and return to office policies. The memo, which was reported on extensively in the business press, was described as unusually direct in tone. Business Insider characterized it as a case study in leadership communication, reporting that Stankey's memo told employees "exactly where he stands on workplace loyalty and RTO," and that other CEOs weighed in on the implications of such candid corporate communication.[24]

Ragan Communications included the memo in its countdown of the top communications stories of 2025, analyzing what the memo "did right" from a corporate communications standpoint.[25]

In a December 2025 interview, Stankey reflected on the episode, stating that his mistake was not the memo itself but rather that he had been "too slow on changing the company's culture." He described the memo as part of a broader process of cultural change at AT&T.[26]

Personal Life

Stankey has maintained a relatively private personal life. He is based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, where AT&T is headquartered. He formerly served on the board of directors of United Parcel Service (UPS) before stepping down to focus on his responsibilities at AT&T.[27]

Legacy

Stankey's leadership of AT&T has been defined by a period of significant corporate transformation. He oversaw one of the most substantial strategic reversals in recent American corporate history: the unwinding of AT&T's media and entertainment portfolio — assets the company had spent tens of billions of dollars to acquire — in favor of a return to the company's telecommunications roots. The decision to divest WarnerMedia through its merger with Discovery, Inc. and to spin off DirecTV represented an acknowledgment that the vertically integrated telecommunications-and-media model that AT&T had pursued under Stephenson had not produced the anticipated results.

Under Stankey's leadership, AT&T has reoriented its capital allocation priorities toward fiber broadband and 5G wireless infrastructure. The company's fiber expansion strategy, which Stankey has discussed in multiple public forums including his McKinsey interview and investor conferences, represents a bet on the long-term value of high-speed fixed-line connectivity in an increasingly digital economy.[2]

Stankey's 2025 employee memo and the public discussion it generated have also contributed to broader conversations about corporate leadership communication, workplace culture, and return-to-office policies in the post-pandemic era. His willingness to address these issues directly, and his subsequent public reflections on the episode, have been cited in business media discussions about executive communication style.

As a career-long AT&T executive who spent more than three decades rising through the company's ranks, Stankey represents a model of institutional leadership — one shaped by deep familiarity with the company's operations, culture, and history, but also tested by the need to make difficult strategic decisions that reversed the course set by his predecessors.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 ShermanAlexAlex"AT&T CEO Randall Stephenson to step down".CNBC.2020-04-24.https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/24/att-ceo-randall-stephenson-to-step-down.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "John Stankey talks about leaning into the long term at AT&T".McKinsey & Company.2025-07-08.https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/our-insights/john-stankey-talks-about-leaning-into-the-long-term-at-at-and-t.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 EmberSydneySydney"AT&T Names John Stankey as New C.E.O.".The New York Times.2020-04-24.https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/24/business/media/att-ceo-john-stankey-randall-stephenson.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  4. ↑ JamesMegMeg"AT&T's John Stankey named CEO as Randall Stephenson retires".Los Angeles Times.2020-04-24.https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2020-04-24/att-john-stankey-ceo-randall-stephenson-retires-warner-media-hbo.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 "AT&T Leadership".AT&T Inc..https://investors.att.com/corporate-governance/leadership.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  6. ↑ "2 Bell Companies Agree to Merger Worth $17 Billion".The New York Times.1996-04-02.https://www.nytimes.com/1996/04/02/us/2-bell-companies-agree-to-merger-worth-17-billion.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  7. ↑ "AT&T Press Release – Leadership Announcement".AT&T Inc..https://web.archive.org/web/20071011073853/http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=4800&cdvn=news&newsarticleid=21906.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  8. ↑ "WarnerMedia: John Stankey outlines changes at AT&T's new entertainment unit".CNN.2018-06-15.https://money.cnn.com/2018/06/15/media/warnermedia-john-stankey-announcements/index.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  9. ↑ "AT&T Shakes Up WarnerMedia Unit".The Wall Street Journal.2019-03-04.https://www.wsj.com/articles/at-t-shakes-up-warner-media-unit-11551708372.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  10. ↑ "What's Next for HBO with Plepler Out".Vanity Fair.2019-03.https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/03/whats-next-for-hbo-with-plepler-out.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  11. ↑ JamesMegMeg"What AT&T exec John Stankey's role says about its plan for Time Warner".Los Angeles Times.2017-09-07.https://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-stankey-att-time-warner-culture-20170907-htmlstory.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  12. ↑ KoblinJohnJohn"WarnerMedia Names Jason Kilar as C.E.O.".The New York Times.2020-04-01.https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/01/business/media/warner-media-jason-kilar-john-stankey.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  13. ↑ "AT&T CEO Stephenson to step down July 1, succeeded by John Stankey".USA Today.2020-04-24.https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2020/04/24/at-t-ceo-stephenson-step-down-july-1-succeeded-john-stankey/3021114001/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  14. ↑ "AT&T Deal For DirecTV With Private Equity Firm TPG".Deadline Hollywood.2021-02-25.https://deadline.com/2021/02/att-deal-directv-with-private-equity-firm-tpg-1234701305/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  15. ↑ "AT&T's DirecTV to become standalone video business".Reuters.2021-08-02.https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/atts-directv-become-standalone-video-business-2021-08-02.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  16. ↑ "AT&T-Discovery deal raises questions about value and strategy".The Washington Post.2021-05-22.https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/05/22/att-discovery-value-finance/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  17. ↑ "C.E.O.s, Pandemic and Compensation".The New York Times.2021-04-24.https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/24/business/ceos-pandemic-compensation.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  18. ↑ "General Electric, AT&T Investors Reject CEO Pay Plans".The Wall Street Journal.2021-05-04.https://www.wsj.com/articles/general-electric-at-t-investors-reject-ceo-pay-plans-11620147204.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  19. ↑ "AT&T CEO John Stankey Steps Down From Board of UPS".The Hollywood Reporter.https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/att-ceo-john-stankey-steps-down-from-board-of-ups-4087704/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  20. ↑ "AT&T CEO John Stankey on the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, fiber optics race and long-term growth outlook".MSN.2025-02.https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/news/at-t-ceo-john-stankey-on-the-pebble-beach-pro-am-fiber-optics-race-and-long-term-growth-outlook/vi-AA1WinwS.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  21. ↑ "AT&T's Stankey shares perspective on competition from LEO satellites".Fierce Network.2025-12-11.https://www.fierce-network.com/wireless/atts-stankey-shares-perspective-competition-leo-satellites.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  22. ↑ "AT&T to Webcast CEO John Stankey at UBS Conference".AT&T Newsroom.2025-12-02.https://about.att.com/story/2025/stankey-ubs-conference.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  23. ↑ "John Stankey to Update Shareholders at UBS Global Media & Communications Conference on Dec. 9".PR Newswire.2025-12-08.https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/john-stankey-to-update-shareholders-at-ubs-global-media--communications-conference-on-dec-9-302635721.html.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  24. ↑ "The AT&T CEO's blunt memo is a test case for leaders".Business Insider.2025-08-17.https://www.businessinsider.com/ceos-business-leaders-reaction-att-john-stankey-memo-2025-8.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  25. ↑ "Top Stories of 2025: What AT&T CEO's memo did right".Ragan Communications.2025.https://www.ragan.com/what-att-ceos-memo-did-right/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  26. ↑ "AT&T CEO says he made a mistake in how he went about fixing company culture — but the viral memo wasn't it".Business Insider.2025-12-09.https://www.businessinsider.com/att-ceo-john-stankey-mistake-addressing-company-culture-viral-memo-2025-12.Retrieved 2026-02-23.
  27. ↑ "AT&T CEO John Stankey Steps Down From Board of UPS".The Hollywood Reporter.https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/att-ceo-john-stankey-steps-down-from-board-of-ups-4087704/.Retrieved 2026-02-23.

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