After five years at Fox Corp., the company’s chief legal and policy officer Viet Dinh is vacating his role at the end of the year and transitioning to special adviser, beginning Dec. 31, 2023.
Dinh was one of the most influential executives at Fox Corp. since his 2018 arrival, and held an important strategic role in the company’s infamous legal battle with Dominion Voting Systems earlier this year. The two sides settled Dominion’s defamation lawsuit against Fox back in April, with the media giant paying the voting technology company a whopping $787.5 million to conclude their dispute.
According to the Wall Street Journal, which shares a parent company with Fox Corp, Dinh was a close adviser to executive chairman CEO Lachlan Murdoch. His influence at the company reportedly lessened following the settlement with Dominion, WSJ reports, citing several people familiar with the matter.
Dinh was reportedly a proponent of not settling the lawsuit sooner. That said, is is not clear whether his departure is connected to the legal matter.
Dominion has accused Fox Corp.-owned Fox News Media of broadcasting false claims that Dominion voting technology helped rig the 2020 presidential election in favor of then-candidate Joe Biden. Fox Corp. claimed Fox News Media platforms were simply covering newsworthy claims of election fraud.
“We appreciate Viet’s many contributions and service to Fox as both a board member of 21st Century Fox and in his role over the last five years as a valued member of Fox’s leadership team,” Lachlan Murdoch said in a statement. “We are grateful that he will continue to serve Fox as Special Advisor where we will benefit from his counsel.”
Fox Corp. is also facing a lawsuit from another voting company, Smartmatic, which is poised to begin in 2025.