Tom Freston

Tom Freston is the cofounder of MTV and the former CEO of MTV Networks. He became co-President, then CEO of Viacom, where he also oversaw Paramount Pictures, Famous Music, and BET. After launching a successful clothing export company out of Afghanistan and India, Freston transitioned into the media world. He joined the small team that started MTV, then brought it to international fame in more than 150 countries.

Before his Viacom roles, he ran MTV Networks for seventeen years, overseeing Nickelodeon, VH1, Comedy Central, and other legendary networks. He is a board member of Imagine Entertainment and a board member emeritus of both the American Museum of Natural History and the think tank New America. He currently serves as board chair of the ONE Campaign, an anti-poverty advocacy organization focusing on Africa.