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Change Artist The For Anne Sweeney, the high-powered president of the Disney-ABC Television Group, an uncertain future and the inevitability of change present endless opportunities, not obstacles, to business. by Tricia Bisoux Anne Sweeney's soft-spoken manner and quiet energy belie her status as a powerhouse in the entertainment industry. She has been named the "Most Powerful Woman in Entertainment" by The Hollywood Reporter, one of Fortune's "50 Most Powerful Women in Business," and one of Forbes' "World's 100 Most Powerful Women." Ask her about this recognition, however, and she immediately defers to her team and to the "up-and-comers" in the entertainment industry, whom she values for their energy and ideas. "It's wonderful to be recognized, not just for my accomplish- ments, but for my team's accomplishments," says Sweeney. "But it begins and ends there. I'm more impressed when I look at new talent, when I see who's coming up in the spotlight." Sweeney began her own business career unconventionally. She earned a bachelor's degree in English from The College of New Rochelle in New York and a master's degree in education from Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, planning to be a teacher. Her plans began to change when, at 19, she landed a job as a page for ABC, an experience that sparked her passion for the entertainment industry. After she completed her master's program, she was hired by Nickelodeon, then a brand-new cable network for children's programming. Starting as an assis- tant, Sweeney eventually became its senior vice president of program enterprises. In 1993, she worked with television executive Rupert Murdoch to launch the cable network FX and served as its CEO. In 1996, she moved to The Walt Disney Company, where she served as president of the Disney Channel and executive vice president of Disney-ABC Cable Networks. She was promoted to president of Disney-ABC Television Group in April 2004 and also serves as the co-chairman of Disney Media Networks. Most recently, Sweeney headed a deal that is part of what she has called a "seismic shift" in the entertainment industry. In May and June, ABC.com offered episodes of its most popular television shows, including "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives," via an ad-supported, free-streaming model on the Internet. The com- pany was also the first to offer viewers the chance to purchase episodes after their airing on television for $1.99 on Apple's iTunes online music store. These moves represented a break in traditional program delivery—and a threat to the status quo. But now that new technologies are emerging and younger audiences are seeking out alternative delivery of content, the entertainment industry can't afford to "cling to old models or old ways of thinking," says Sweeney. That's true for businesses in all industries, Sweeney emphasizes. To serve busi- ness well, she says, today's business graduates must be able to embrace change with a passion for innovation, an ability to think creatively, and an unbridled enthu- siasm for "what's coming next." 18 BizEd NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2006