• by Wayne Friedman , December 17, 2009

Nancy Tellem is pulling back from her day-to-day duties as president of the CBS Network Television Entertainment Group -- taking a senior advisor role to CBS Corp. chief executive Les Moonves. The move was expected.

Tellem had been a key lieutenant to Moonves, focusing on many business deals. CBS credits much of its success to several long-lasting employees. Her new role begins in January.

Tellem will focus on new global and emerging businesses, as well as remaining in charge of CBS' 50% stake in the CW network, which is a joint venture with Time Warner's Warner Bros.

"This is a new role in a fast-changing landscape for a very gifted executive," said Moonves. "Nancy has great experience, business acumen and intellect in all of these evolving areas, and importantly, she knows first-hand all of the resources and talent that we have in this company to make the most of these opportunities."

Senior executives who had been reporting to Tellem -- CBS Entertainment President Nina Tassler and CBS Television Studios President David Stapf -- will now report to Moonves.

Tellem has been at CBS for more than 10 years, starting as executive vice president of business affairs for CBS Entertainment. She was then promoted to president of CBS Entertainment. Before that, she was at Warner Bros., where she and Moonves worked together for many years. She was also executive vice president of business and financial affairs for Warner Bros. Television.