The founder of IMDb, the popular online entertainment database, Col Needham, vacates his CEO chair after a monumental 35 years. Succeeding him is Nikki Santoro, IMDb’s Chief Operating Officer since 2021, marking her step-up as a noteworthy ascend in the company’s history.
Historically, Santoro is the first woman to hold IMDb’s CEO designation and is only the second person to achieve this position. Since its inception in 1990, Needham had driven IMDb to acclaim in the entertainment sphere, heralding his transition to an executive chair role after his lengthy CEO tenure.
A key proponent in Santoro’s CEO appointment is her illustrious track record in IMDb. Needham expressed his trust in her capabilities, stating that she had already exhibited remarkable business results as COO. Her strategic vision, in-depth product and customer understanding, and innovation dedication catalyze IMDb’s growth and product quality enhancement.
Santoro joined IMDb in 2016, spearheading its database expansion and IMDbPro membership improvements. Her significant leadership roles at Amazon, Microsoft, and The Weather Channel pre-date her IMDb success.
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