Jeff Shell, the CEO of NBCUniversal, has announced his departure from the company following an outside investigation into a complaint of inappropriate conduct. The investigation was led by an outside counsel and the decision for Shell to leave was made effective immediately.
In a statement, Shell admitted to having an inappropriate relationship with a woman in the company and expressed deep regret for letting down his colleagues at Comcast and NBCUniversal. He praised the talent of his colleagues, calling them the "most talented people in the business" and describing the opportunity to work with them over the last 19 years as a privilege.
The statement did not provide any further details about the investigation or the woman involved. CNN has reached out to Comcast and NBCUniversal for comment.
Shell had been CEO since January 2020, having previously held leadership roles in content creation, programming, and distribution for NBCUniversal Film and Entertainment. During his tenure, he expressed confidence in the company's streaming service, Peacock, which surpassed 20 million paid subscribers at the end of 2022 and generated nearly $2.1 billion in revenue. However, the service's adjusted earnings loss widened.
In an interview on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" last October, Shell acknowledged that the television landscape was changing and emphasized the importance of having the right content and a broad distribution platform to attract consumers. He expressed optimism about Peacock's future and its potential for growth.
Comcast is set to report its first-quarter earnings on Thursday, and it remains to be seen how Shell's departure will impact the company going forward.