Fox Corp. has appointed a new chief legal and policy officer, Adam Ciongoli, who is set to receive a total compensation package of roughly $28 million. Ciongoli, formerly general counsel for Campbell Soup Co., brings to Fox significant conservative legal credentials. His term begins on Dec. 1 as he takes the baton from Viet Dinh, the outgoing chief legal officer. This executive shift follows Rupert Murdoch’s recent step down as chairman of both Fox and its sister company, News Corp. (Bloomberg Law).
Fox continues to confront legal conflicts in the aftermath of their coverage of the 2020 US presidential election. Earlier this year, to resolve defamation claims by Dominion Voting Systems Inc., Fox agreed to a settlement worth $787 million, extinguishing one out of several tied lawsuits (Bloomberg Law).
The company has designated Ciongoli to guide its legal, compliance, and regulatory functions, an impressively complex task that also involves supervising government affairs. The compensation assigned to Ciongoli involves an annual base salary of almost $1.8 million, a target bonus of $2.8 million, and $3 million in stock awards (SEC filing).
Throughout his career, Ciongoli has worked alongside a number of esteemed conservative lawyers. He clerked for US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito Jr. and served in the George W. Bush administration under US Attorney General John Ashcroft. Ciongoli has also been associated with the likes of Viet Dinh and Jeffrey Taylor, Fox’s current general counsel. As part of the new arrangement, Taylor will report to Ciongoli on corporate matters whilst Bernard Gugar, GC of Fox News, will continue reporting to the network’s CEO, Suzanne Scott (Bloomberg Law).
In his previous roles, Ciongoli excelled in managing aspects of conservative politics. As a protégé of former US solicitor general Kenneth Starr, he worked with prominent conservative litigators. Besides his fruitful affiliations, Ciongoli twice had the opportunity to clerk for Alito, demonstrating a commendable commitment by reducing his pay the second time around (Bloomberg Law).
Ciongoli’s switch from Campbell Soup bodes to be lucratively advantageous, forecasting a pay rise earned over his tenure at the famous processed food company. At Campbell Soup, his responsibilities transcended the realm of legal affairs, addressing environmental, social, and governance (ESG) efforts as chief sustainability, corporate responsibility, and governance officer (Bloomberg Law).
The advent of a new era in Fox’s legal department, ushered in by Ciongoli, portends to bring a refreshing perspective to the corporation’s legal landscape. As Fox trudges ahead in the wake of significant legal battles and changes in its chairmanship, it’s evident that the reins are now in the hands of an attorney who is well-seasoned in the dynamics of conservative legal circles.