Michael Powell

President/CEO
NCTA

The first African-American CEO of NCTA, Powell segued into his new post this spring to serve as the cable industry’s leading advocate, spokesman and representative to federal agencies. A few cable developments have him particularly enthused: Ultrafast wideband broadband, and cable’s effort to deliver incredible content on any platform, at any time. “As new apps emerge for the latest tech gadgets, we know our content has to be everywhere to be relevant,” he says. How can cable better embrace diversity? “The new information age we’re entering demands that diversity be a strategic business imperative for any company that wants to succeed, and it’s a shared responsibility that everyone must embrace,” he says. “The companies in our industry can’t just look at their peers to measure how they’re doing. We must look at companies in other industries that are drawing top talent and attracting mobile professionals and aspiring students.”