Pandora Names Brian McAndrews CEO

Brian McAndrews

PANDORA has appointed former MICROSOFT executive BRIAN MCANDREWS as CEO. He will succeed JOE KENNEDY, who announced his resignation in MARCH.

MCANDREWS, recognized as ADVERTISING AGE’s first-ever “Digital Executive of the Year, took over AVENUE A, a small digital agency in 1999, and as Pres./CEO built it into aQUANTIVE, which was subsequently acquired by MICROSOFT for $6 billion in 2007.  After serving as a SVP at MICROSOFT, MCANDREWS joined MADRONA as an investing partner in 2009, focusing on early-stage technology companies.

“We had very specific criteria for our new CEO, and we were very strategic about finding the right person — Brian is that person,” PANDORA Founder/Chief Strategy Officer TIM WESTERGREN said.  “No one better understands the intersection of technology and advertising, which he clearly demonstrated during aQUANTIVE’s meteoric rise.  He has a recognized ability to set strategy, lead large teams and drive growth and innovation at great scale. He is also a natural cultural fit with PANDORA. This is a great development for our company.”

“It is a great privilege to be asked to lead PANDORA at this important moment in the company’s history,” MCANDREWS said.  “By capturing the enthusiasm of more than 72 million monthly listeners, the management team, led by JOE and TIM, has made PANDORA the clear Internet radio leader and created a product that consumers love.  I look forward to joining this great team to build on PANDORA’s success for years to come.”

“It has been an honor and pleasure to work with our management team and employees for the past nine years to reinvent radio and put PANDORA on a clear path toward continued long-term growth,” JOE KENNEDY said. “With a proven record of growing businesses and managing complex organizations, BRIAN is uniquely qualified to lead PANDORA to the next level in our business. I’m confident that under his leadership, PANDORA will continue to expand its business and deliver tremendous value to listeners, artists and advertisers.”

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