Who is John Malone? All about Liberty Media pioneer as he leaves chairman role

John C. Malone, frequently christened the "Cable Cowboy," looms as a presence in the media and telecommunications sphere, credited with carving out today's cable and entertainment landscape through his network of "Liberty" companies.

From his tenure at Tele‑Communications, Inc. (TCI), where he turned it into one of America’s cable operators before its 1999 sale to AT&T, to his later guidance of Liberty Media, Liberty Global and Liberty Broadband, into worldwide markets Malone fashioned an empire marked by audacious mergers, clever spin‑offs and visionary deal‑making that permanently reshaped the media industry's power structure.

After more than five decades of steering the media and telecom arena, 84‑year‑old billionaire John Malone is officially handing over the chair of his sprawling empire. The shift marks the end of a defining chapter in media history. Jan. 1 Malone will move into the title of chairman emeritus while Vice Chairman Robert R. "Dob" Bennett steps up as Chairman of the Board, as reported by Deadline.

John Malone to step down as chairman of Liberty Media and Liberty Global after decades at the helm

Media titan John Malone has signaled his intention to step down as chairman of both Liberty Media and Liberty Global by year's end, effectively pulling the curtain on a saga that has defined his multi‑decade career. In a note, Malone reflected that founding and shepherding Liberty Media ranks among the enriching experiences of his professional life, and he cited the company's recent portfolio pruning and its robust performance as the twin factors prompting his decision to scale back. In his words (via Deadline):

"Founding Liberty Media and serving as its Chairman has been among the most rewarding experiences of my professional life,” Malone said in a statement. “With the successful simplification of our portfolio in recent years and our operating businesses in positions of strength, I believe it is an appropriate time to step back from certain of my obligations."

He further said:

"I am very pleased to have Dob Bennett, my partner and colleague of 35 years, stepping into the Chairman role. Dob has been involved in all key decisions throughout Liberty Media’s history, and I am confident that Liberty is well-positioned for the future. I look forward to remaining actively engaged as a large Liberty shareholder and a strategic advisor to our management and Board."

After 35 years of working shoulder‑to‑shoulder with Malone, longtime colleague Dob Bennett is set to take the helm as chairman. The move was announced just after Malone's memoir, Born to Be Wired, hit the shelves, a book that charts his evolution from a cable‑industry trailblazer to the mastermind behind media juggernauts such as Formula One, Discovery, SiriusXM, and the Atlanta Braves.

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