Debra Lee steps down as Chair and CEO of BET

Debra Lee is stepping down from her post as Chair and CEO of BET.

Lee’s last day at the company will be Monday.

Lee, who first joined BET in 1986 as its first in-house counsel, built the network to become the top African American brand. In December, Scott Mills took over day-to-day operations of BET as president while Lee stayed on as chairman and chief executive.

“As a young corporate attorney I saw my role as the protector of the BET brand and its employees, and today, more than 32 years later, I still see myself as the protector and defender of a brand that I have helped to grow as a top destination for audiences across the globe,” Lee, who was hired in 1986 as the company’s first vice president and general counsel, said in the announcement.

She was promoted to president and chief operating officer in 1996 and became Chair and CEO in 2005.

“Debra’s vision and creativity have cemented BET Networks as a premier network for African Americans and lovers of black culture,” Viacom CEO Bob Bakish said Thursday in a statement announcing the news.
“As BET continues to move forward, we will always be grateful to Debra for her leadership and commitment to creating top-notch entertainment that both entertains and empowers. Her passion for the BET brand has resulted in countless wins and has allowed BET to stay competitive in a growing media landscape. While we will all miss Debra tremendously, we respect her decision and understand her desire to leave at the very top of the game with a legacy of significant contributions that spans decades. I have seen firsthand how the network has grown under her direction, and I know that she will bring that same innovative thinking and strategic vision to her future pursuits. Debra has groomed an amazing group of senior executives, and I am confident that BET Networks will continue to flourish under their leadership.”

Lee will continue her role on corporate and non-profit boards, and her work with Time’s Up and The Recording Academy Diversity & Inclusion Task Force. Lee’s annual gathering of prominent African American women, Leading Women Defined, will also continue under her leadership.