• March 16, 2005

After 21 years at the helm of A&E Television Networks, Nickolas Davatzes said Tuesday he will be stepping down effective April 1, as Abbe Raven, currently president of A&E Network-USA, will succeed him to become the second president and chief executive officer in the company's history. Davatzes will assume the title of CEO Emeritus and, in transitioning to retirement, will remain an adviser to AETN from its offices in Stamford, CT. Raven has been president of A&E Network-USA since September 2004. Previously, she was executive vice president and general manager since 2002. Prior to that, she was executive vice president and general manager of The History Channel. Raven began her career in cable television in 1982 in production for Daytime and Arts, which later was spun into Lifetime Television and AETN. Since A&E Network's launch in 1984, she has taken on a number of executive responsibilities.-- .K.