Former Fox Co-Chief Gary Newman Joins Attention Partners Executive Team

Gary Newman, who had a long run as chairman of Fox alongside Dana Walden until 2018, has joined Attention Capital as executive partner.

Attention Capital was founded by former Fox ad chief Joe Marchese, former Snapchat content head Nick Bell, former head of content at Snapchat, and former Palantir exec Ashlyn Gentry. The company gained notice last summer for teaming with James Murdoch’s Lupa Systems to acquire half of Tribeca Enterprises from the Madison Square Garden Co.

Attention, which is looking to raise $500 million, takes its name from its strategy to invest in companies that are stakeholders in the attention economy. Lisa Gersh, who led brands like Alexander Wang, Goop, Martha Stewart, and Oxygen, has also joined the company along with Newman as executive partner.

Newman and Gersh will consult on operations for companies in the portfolio and also help on the investment efforts of Attention.

In a LinkedIn post announcing the new executives, Gentry wrote, “They’re both perfect partners to have in our mission to scale the next generation of media and technology companies,” adding, “We’re excited to tap into Gary and Lisa’s combined expertise and are privileged to have them on board.”

Before the sale of most of 21st Century Fox to Disney, Newman and Dana Walden ran its television studio and broadcast network operations. That successful run included hits like This Is Us, 24, Glee, The Simpsons, American Horror Story, The Americans and Homeland.

Walden Charlie Collier succeeded Newman in the top role at Fox, though the company no longer has a studio.