Podcasts

SiriusXM Names Tubi Chief Anjali Sud CEO as Jennifer Witz Steps Down From Podcast and Audio Giant

SiriusXM named Tubi CEO Anjali Sud its next chief executive effective January 1, 2027, succeeding Jennifer Witz, who oversaw the company's podcast network expansion and will stay on as an advisor through 2027.

iShook Opinion

Nov 11, 2026 - 15:11

Updated: 12 hours ago

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SiriusXM Names Tubi Chief Anjali Sud CEO as Jennifer Witz Steps Down From Podcast and Audio Giant

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SiriusXM announced on Monday, November 9, that Anjali Sud, the chief executive of Fox-owned streaming service Tubi, has been appointed chief executive officer of the audio company effective January 1, 2027. She succeeds Jennifer Witz, who, the company said, decided to step down after almost two and a half decades at SiriusXM, including nearly six years as CEO.

Witz will remain with the company in an advisory role until the end of 2027, according to the SiriusXM announcement. The company's filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission states that she will also leave the board of directors at the end of the day on December 31, 2026.

The Leadership Change

Sud, 43, has served as an independent director on the SiriusXM board since March 2025 and will remain on the board after taking over as CEO, the company said. According to the SEC filing, she has led Tubi since September 2023 and served as CEO of video platform Vimeo from July 2017 to August 2023, after earlier roles at Amazon from 2010 to 2014 that culminated in a position as director of marketing.

SiriusXM said Sud grew Tubi's audience to more than 110 million monthly active users and took Vimeo public. The Hollywood Reporter reported that Sud announced her departure from Tubi the previous week, after Fox completed its acquisition of Roku. Music Business Worldwide, citing a staff memo reported by Adweek, said Tubi's leadership team will now report to Mike Bidgoli, who is taking over day-to-day leadership of the service as president, and that Sud will help with the transition at Tubi through the end of the year.

"I am honored to lead SiriusXM in its next chapter," Sud said in the announcement. "Premium audio experiences will be more important than ever to the future of entertainment, and I believe SiriusXM can evolve to lead that future."

Greg Maffei, chairman of the SiriusXM board, said in the same statement, "As a member of our Board, she has intimate knowledge of our business and strategy." He added, "We believe she will be an outstanding CEO for SiriusXM."

Podcasting Under Witz

In the announcement, Maffei credited Witz with expanding in-car penetration and 360L rollouts, securing an exclusive advertising partnership with YouTube, and "building one of the nation's leading podcast networks." SiriusXM describes its portfolio as including its subscription service, Pandora, "an expansive podcast network," and the advertising businesses SiriusXM Media and AdsWizz, and says it reaches approximately 255 million monthly listeners across its platforms.

The Hollywood Reporter reported that under Witz the company signed major podcast talent, including SmartLess, the show hosted by Jason Bateman, Will Arnett and Sean Hayes, and Alex Cooper's Call Her Daddy. Variety reported that SiriusXM has struck podcast content arrangements with Megyn Kelly and Cooper, among others. Music Business Worldwide reported that the YouTube agreement, announced in April, made SiriusXM Media the exclusive advertising representative for YouTube's audio ad inventory in the United States.

In October, SiriusXM signed a multi-year deal with Paige DeSorbo and Hannah Berner for their Giggly Squad podcast, a deal Digiday reported was valued at $160 million. Adam Sachs, SiriusXM's senior vice president of podcast content, told Digiday, "When we're making these deals, we are increasingly thinking about a podcast as audio, video, social, and live. It's those four legs of the stool, and we want to be a part of all of it."

Terms of the Transition

According to Music Business Worldwide's review of the SEC filing, Sud will receive an annual base salary of $2.6 million and will be eligible for an annual bonus targeted at twice that amount, with her 2027 bonus paying out at no less than target. Subject to board or compensation committee approval, she will receive a sign-on award of time-based restricted stock units with a grant date fair value of $10 million, plus a further $4.5 million in time-based units and performance-based units with a target value of $4.5 million. Her initial term runs through December 31, 2029, with automatic one-year renewals.

Under her transition agreement, Witz will serve in an advisory consulting role from January 1 through December 31, 2027, for a consulting fee of $175,000 per month, according to the filing. The agreement also keeps her eligible for a 2026 annual bonus.

"I firmly believe that SiriusXM is on a strong path and that now is the time for a transition," Witz said in the announcement. "Anjali brings the perspective, leadership, and understanding of the business needed to guide the Company forward."

Where SiriusXM Stands

The announcement came 11 days after SiriusXM reported third-quarter results on October 29, Music Business Worldwide reported. Consolidated revenue was $2.153 billion in the quarter, compared with $2.159 billion a year earlier, while net income rose 7% to $317 million. The company raised its full-year 2026 guidance and now expects revenue of approximately $8.55 billion. The SiriusXM service ended September with 32.85 million total subscribers, and Pandora's monthly active users fell by 2.75 million year over year to 38.81 million, according to the outlet.

The Hollywood Reporter reported that Witz did not take the stage at SiriusXM's event for advertisers in early October. The outlet also reported that a SiriusXM streaming app launched under Witz to reach listeners beyond the car did not take off as anticipated, and that the company enacted rounds of cost-cutting amid "marketplace headwinds."

Maffei said in the announcement that SiriusXM "is now generating its best core financial metrics in years, returning to revenue growth and generating near-record levels of free cash flow." He added, "Jennifer is leaving SiriusXM with a strong foundation, and we are grateful for her leadership."