Uni PR Shakeup: Cindy Gardner Upped To Exec Veep NBCUniversal West Coast; Evan Langweiler To Head Global Comms

Universal has elevated two of the top-notch corporate communications execs in the biz. Cindy Gardner, who has been head of global communications for the past four years, has been promoted to the new role of Executive Vice President of NBCUniversal West Coast to support all lines of business across the West Coast and help position the company competitively for the future.

Evan Langweiler will now lead global communications for the Film group, reporting to Donna Langley. He’s been with the company for 12 years and key in developing communications strategies. Karen Fung continues to oversee internal communications and employee experience for the Film group, reporting to Lissa Freed and working closely with HR and global communications.

More from Deadline

• 'Tomorrow War' Director Chris McKay Boards 'Renfield'; Universal's Latest Monster Movie Focused on Character From 'Dracula'

• Universal's Managing Director For France, Xavier Albert, Adding Italy To Purview

• Blumhouse's 'The Forever Purge' Takes Over 'Top Gun: Maverick' Independence Day Weekend Slot

Here are internal notes from Langley, and another from Jeff Shell and Adam Miller:

I’m proud to share some news. Cindy Gardner, our head of global communications for the last 4 years, is taking on a new and exciting leadership role at the company.

She has been promoted to the new role of Executive Vice President of NBCUniversal West Coast to support all lines of business across the West Coast and help position our company competitively for the future.

I continue to be proud of Cindy’s leadership since joining our team, and I am thrilled that her passion and commitment will now stretch across the broader company. Cindy has been and will continue to be a trusted advisor, colleague and friend to our leadership team, and so many of you, and I’m thrilled she is taking this next step in her career at NBCU.

With the news, I’m proud to announce that Evan Langweiler will now lead global communications for the Film group reporting to me. He’s been with the company for 12 years and is a critical partner to all of us. He has been instrumental in developing communications strategies, managing crisis communications and working with our internal and external partners and press to further UFEG’s leadership position in the market. Karen Fung will continue to oversee internal communications and employee experience for the Film group, reporting to Lissa Freed and working closely with HR and global communications.

I look forward to continuing to work with Cindy and Evan in their new respective roles.

Below is the note from Shell and Miller:

Jeff and I wanted to share an exciting personnel announcement with you. Effective immediately, Cindy Gardner has been promoted into a new and important leadership role focused on all aspects of our West Coast presence.

As our first Executive Vice President of NBCUniversal West Coast, Cindy will collaborate with West Coast business leaders to drive strategies that help grow our business, be the preferred home for top talent, elevate and protect our reputation, and maintain and enhance our external relationships.

Cindy has been doing an amazing job at NBCUniversal for 25 years, and her ingenuity, relationships, deep business knowledge, and passion for our company — especially the Universal lot — make her the perfect person to take on this new challenge. In this broader role, she will work to leverage the totality of our business operations for industry partners, employees, media, community, and public officials.

She will report directly to me and have a dotted line to Jeff, but more importantly, she will be a true ally and advocate for all our businesses.

Throughout her career at the company, Cindy has worked with many of our leaders across the portfolio, including most notably and recently with Donna Langley running global communications for the Film group, while always overseeing the corporate affairs team on the West Coast.

When you look at the opportunities and challenges ahead for our organization — the rapidly evolving industry, the need to further the company’s position as the leading production and tourism destination in Los Angeles, and deliver on the promise of the workplace for tomorrow — we thought having one leader thinking about this across our West Coast operations made sense now.

I know you will come to depend on her judgment and counsel the way we do.

Please join me in congratulating Cindy on this well-deserved promotion.

Best of Deadline

• U.S. Covid-19 Update: More Transmissible U.K. Variant Becomes Dominant Cause Of New Infections Among Americans

• Coronavirus: Movies That Have Halted Or Delayed Production Amid Outbreak

• Hong Kong Filmart Postponed Due To Coronavirus Fears; Event Moves Two Weeks Before Toronto

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.