IMDb announced that Col Needham, its founder and CEO for the past 35 years, will transition to the role of Founder & Executive Chair.
Col Needham founded IMDb in 1990 and built it into the world’s leading source of entertainment information as its CEO.
Nikki Santoro, who has served as IMDb’s Chief Operating Officer since 2021, is assuming the role of Chief Executive Officer of IMDb. She becomes the first woman to hold the title and the company’s second CEO.
Santoro brings a wealth of experience in technology and product development to the role. Before joining IMDb, she held leadership positions at Amazon, Microsoft, and The Weather Channel.
In his new role, Needham will provide strategic guidance, consult on key initiatives, and serve as a global ambassador for IMDb. He will continue to be based out of the IMDb office in Bristol, England.
He will also maintain his roles as a board member of Into Film and Film Independent, while serving as Global Brand Ambassador for the British Board of Film Classification.
Nikki’s strategic vision and proven leadership make her the ideal CEO to guide IMDb into the future, I am confident in her ability to lead our talented team and continue to innovate and grow IMDb as the world’s premier entertainment resource.
said Col Needham, Founder & Executive Chair of IMDb.
I am honored to lead IMDb at this exciting time, We will continue to enhance our core database, expand our offerings for industry professionals, and leverage technology to connect audiences with the content they love.
said Nikki Santoro, CEO of IMDb.
IMDb will celebrate this leadership transition and its 35th anniversary with an industry dinner in Park City, Utah on January 27th.
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