OkayMedia, the digital publisher dedicated to covering and uplifting global Black culture, has hired former CNN International anchor Isha Sesay as its new chief executive.
“I’m so thrilled to be joining the OkayMedia family,” Sesay said in a statement. “This is an exciting company that has long done great work that I have admired. I can’t wait to bring to life all my ideas to expand our content offerings and ways to expose this fantastic brand to even more people in Africa and beyond.”
Sesay called CNN home from 2005-2018. During that time, she was an anchor for CNNI in Atlanta and later Los Angeles, and a correspondent for AC360. She is also well-known for her fearless coverage of #BringBackOurGirls, reporting on the kidnapping of 200 schoolgirls by Boko Haram in northeastern Nigeria back in 2014. She earned a Peabody for her journalism on the topic in 2015, as well as Gracie Award for Outstanding Anchor.
Prior to CNN, Sesay worked at ITV, anchoring the early morning news program and news reports for morning show GMTV.
In her new role, Sesay will also be launching SPKN/WRD, a new content production arm owned and operated by OkayMedia.
The boutique production outfit will bring global voices and fresh perspectives to the forefront, across feature films, documentaries, TV, podcasting and publishing.
Based in New York, OkayMedia verticals include OkayAfrica and Okayplayer, which analyze Black news, culture, lifestyle content, and music discovery.
Okayplayer, the progressive music site, was founded by The Roots front-man Amir “Questlove” Thompson in 1999.
The company’s previous CEO, Abiola Oke, resigned last year amid allegations by several women of sexual misconduct, Questlove announced on Instagram.