News Corp appoints Arthur Bochner next chief communications officer

The news: Media conglomerate News Corp has appointed former Disney executive Arthur Bochner as its next chief communications officer to replace the retiring Jim Kennedy.

The numbers: Bochner, who will also become an executive vice president at the company, will begin at News Corp this month, after spending nearly a decade at The Walt Disney Company, most recently overseeing strategic communications. He has previously also held communications positions at Bloomberg, Citigroup, and FD Public Affairs.

The context: Incumbent Jim Kennedy’s decision to retire was announced last October, capping more than a decade with the company since he joined in 2013. Bochner will work with Kennedy and his team during the transition. “Arthur has vast and valuable experience at the highest levels of business and government, which will enable him to play a vital role in News Corp’s continuing growth,” News Corp CEO Robert Thomson said.