By: Rachel Pulaski
Today the Breitbart Company announced appointment of Stephen K. Bannon as Executive Chairman and Laurence G. Solov as Chief Executive Officer / President. The company is “focused on realizing Andrew Breitbart’s New Media vision of “Citizen Journalism”.
The following statement was released today:
Breitbart News Network, LLC, the parent company of leading media website Breitbart.com, announced today that the company’s Board of Directors has appointed Stephen K. Bannon as Executive Chairman and Laurence G. Solov as Chief Executive Officer/President, effective immediately. Andrew Breitbart, the company’s founder, held these positions at the time of his unexpected passing on March 1st.
Breitbart News Network LLC is one of the country’s leading news and information corporations – a blend of technology, content, and capital dedicated to fulfilling the New Media vision of Andrew Breitbart. At the time of Mr. Breitbart’s death, the company was putting the finishing touches on an overhaul and re-launch of the Breitbart.com website, a project he had shepherded for more than a year. The company took the newly revamped Breitbart.com live, as scheduled, on March 5.
Mr. Solov, a former partner at Katten Muchin Rosenman, LLP, served as the company’s outside counsel until 2007, at which point Mr. Solov and Mr. Breitbart became business partners. He has served as a member of the Breitbart News Board of Directors since the company’s inception. Mr. Solov is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Stanford University and received his law degree from the UCLA School of Law.
“Andrew and I were like brothers our whole lives and have been business partners since 2007,” said Mr. Solov. “Andrew possessed a very specific vision of what he wanted our company to become. I share that vision, which the company will pursue relentlessly.”
Mr. Bannon is a former Naval Officer, serving aboard a destroyer with the Pacific Fleet and as a Special Assistant to the Chief of Naval Operations. In addition, he is a former M&A investment banker at Goldman Sachs, and a film writer/director. Mr. Bannon was most recently the Chairman/CEO of IMI Exchange, one of the world’s largest digital asset exchanges. Like Mr. Solov, he has served on the board of Breitbart News since the company’s founding. Mr. Bannon has Masters degrees from Georgetown University and Harvard Business School.
“Andrew Breitbart’s unique visionary leadership can never be replaced,” said Mr. Bannon. “Our duty is to pick up his torch and forge ahead, as he would have expected of us. Every member of management is dedicated to ensuring that Andrew’s voice is heard through the pages of Breitbart News.”
Congratulations to the Breitbart team. We thank you for making the courageous decision to carry the torch of such a great man. Andrew inspired many followers who will always be there to help carry that torch and to make sure the light NEVER goes out. God Bless You All.
