• by Melynda Fuller , February 12, 2018

As of March 1, Gary E. Knell, President and CEO of the National Geographic Society, will become CEO of National Geographic Partners, succeeding Declan Moore, who has been CEO since it was founded in 2015.

National Geographic Partners has served as a way for the organization to integrate its consumer-facing assets into a cohesive network that pulls together its many popular entities: magazines, TV series, books and social-media.

Under Moore’s leadership, National Geographic aligned its digital and publishing strategy more closely with its tradition of storytelling focused on science, adventure and exploration. He also expanded digital infrastructure and cross-platform storytelling. Moore had been with the company for 23 years.

Knell was responsible for National Geographic’s nonprofit and educational activities while CEO of the National Geographic Society. During his tenure, he was also responsible for the organization’s print and digital platforms, travel and consumer products. Those areas were later relegated to National Geographic Partners.

Knell is currently chairman of National Geographic Partners.

Prior to joining Nat Geo, Knell was president and CEO of National Public Radio and CEO at Sesame Workshop. He is credited with leveraging NPR’s vast audience across network member stations to grow cross-platform journalism and cultural programming.

Jean Case, chairman of the board of trustees of National Geographic Society and member of the board of National Geographic Partners, stated that Knell’s “passionate commitment to science, exploration and storytelling – combined with his deep expertise in media and his love of the National Geographic brand – makes him ideally suited to lead National Geographic Partners.”