Sandy Cannold Joins ABC News as ‘This Week’ EP

By Merrill Knox 

As we told you last month, longtime CNBC executive producer Sandy Cannold is joining ABC News. Now we know what he’ll be doing.

Cannold has been named EP of “This Week with George Stephanopoulos” replacing Jon Banner who left the network over the summer. Cannold joined ABC News Monday after 13 years at CNBC, most recently as EP  of “Power Lunch.”

In a memo to staffers this morning, ABC News president Ben Sherwood praised Cannold’s “natural storytelling gifts” and “passion for bold ideas.”

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Cannold’s first show will be the first Sunday after the election, November 11. In the meantime, he’ll work on the weekend edition of “Good Morning America.”

Read more from Sherwood after the jump.

I’m pleased to report that Sandy Cannold is joining ABC News as Executive Producer of This Week with George Stephanopoulos.

Sandy comes to us with over 20 years in television.  He has produced almost every kind of program including long-form documentaries and live events.  He also has considerable expertise in program development.  Most recently he served as Executive Producer of CNBC’s Street Signs and produced CNBC’s presidential primary debate in 2011 – the network’s highest rated program of the year.

Sandy was co-creator of the widely popular Squawk on the Street, the first program ever to broadcast from the NYSE during market hours, giving it immediacy and urgency that stand out even seven years after its debut.

As an intern at WNYW when Pan Am flight 103 went down over Lockerbie in December 1988, Sandy knew immediately he wanted to be a journalist.

His love of politics began in the 7th grade when he volunteered for Rep. John B. Anderson, an Independent candidate for the White House in 1980.  At CNBC, he oversaw political coverage in 2008 and 2010.  Sandy was behind the scenes for one of the most memorable debates of the GOP primary race when Rick Perry famously couldn’t remember the third government agency he would cut as president.  We’re fortunate that he will bring his many talents to Sunday mornings and lead This Week to new heights.

As you get to know Sandy, you’ll quickly discover his natural storytelling gifts, his passion for bold ideas, his obsession with golf and, most of all, his devotion to family.

Sandy’s first show will be November 11th.  In the interim, he will work on GMA Weekend.

Please join me in welcoming Sandy to the ABC News.

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