Cablevision Systems has promoted Bret Richter to EVP corporate finance & development and appointed Cindi Buckwalter to SVP of investor relations.
In his new expanded role, Richter, who had served as Cablevision’s SVP of financial strategy & development, will oversee financial strategy and development, corporate financial planning, business planning, and mergers and acquisitions for the cable operator. He is also responsible for leading the analysis of Cablevision’s operational and business results to ensure that the company meets its financial goals. Richter will report to chief financial officer and vice chairman Gregg Seibert.
“During the past nine years, Bret has made substantial contributions to Cablevision’s success, including playing leadership roles in the successful spin-offs of both Madison Square Garden and AMC Networks, and the evaluation and execution of the Company’s strategic and return of capital initiatives,” Seibert said in a statement. “We are fortunate to have an executive with Bret’s financial acumen, proven leadership qualities and unwavering dedication to continue to position the company for the future.”
Before joining Cablevision in 2005, he served as president of The Richter Consulting Group, Inc., a privately held advisory firm that provided consulting services to early stage media companies. Prior to that, he served as senior vice president of finance at NTL Incorporated (a predecessor of Virgin Media) where he took on progressively senior roles, including managing all of NTL’s finance activities as its acting chief financial officer. Mr. Richter was also a member of the media investment banking advisory team at Salomon Brothers Inc.
Buckwalter, who joins Cablevision from global lottery and gaming technology service provider Scientific Games, where she was vice president of investor relations, will also report to Seibert in her new role and will be the primary interface between Cablevision and the investment community. She will lead the engagement strategy with Cablevision’s shareholders and analysts, as well as direct all aspects of investor relations policies, communications and initiatives.
“Cindi has more than two decades of experience in finance and investor relations, having held key senior leadership positions at an investment banking firm and a number of well-known technology companies,” Seibert said in a statement. “She has successfully broadened shareholder ownership and generated investment community support in her prior roles, and I am confident that she will be effective in continuing to develop and execute our investor relations strategies to ensure clear communication of the Company’s performance.”
Buckwalter began her career in investment banking, specializing in IPOs for emerging growth companies in a variety of industries. In 2001, she joined video game developer Take-Two Interactive Software as head of investor relations and corporate communications. During her tenure, sell-side coverage expanded from several analysts to more than 20 analysts.
In 2010, Buckwalter became vice president of investor relations at Scientific Games, where she was responsible for investor relations, corporate communications, public relations and employee communications. She led the company’s strategic internal and external communications supporting a $1.5 billion acquisition of a NYSE-listed company.
