Business 4 min read By Mason Emerson
Fox Corp. Legal Chief Adam Ciongoli to Exit as Nicholas Trutanich Is Promoted to General Counsel
Fox Corp. said Adam Ciongoli will step down as chief legal and policy officer on Dec. 1 and remain a special adviser through June 2028, while Nicholas Trutanich, currently executive vice president and principal deputy general counsel, will become general counsel reporting to CEO Lachlan Murdoch.
Fox Corp. is changing the leadership of its legal department. Adam Ciongoli, the company's chief legal and policy officer, will not renew his contract and will step down from the role effective Dec. 1, the company said. Nicholas Trutanich, currently executive vice president and principal deputy general counsel, will become general counsel and serve as Fox's top lawyer, reporting to CEO Lachlan Murdoch.
Ciongoli will remain with Fox in a different capacity after leaving his current post. He will serve as a special adviser to the company through June 2028, according to the announcement. The arrangement gives Fox continued access to his counsel during a transition period while Trutanich takes over day-to-day leadership of the legal and policy operation.
The move marks the second change at the top of Fox Corp.'s legal department in roughly three years. Ciongoli, a former Campbell Soup executive, joined Fox as chief legal and policy officer in 2023. Trutanich's promotion places a longtime internal executive in the general counsel role, a structure the company framed as part of a period of growth. In a statement, Murdoch called it «an exciting time of growth» for the company.
For Fox, the legal and policy office has been a central function as the company navigates an evolving media landscape, regulatory questions and the broader business of television and streaming. The general counsel role carries responsibility for the company's legal strategy and its engagement with policy matters affecting its broadcast and entertainment operations. Trutanich's elevation from principal deputy general counsel suggests continuity in the department rather than an outside overhaul.
The transition is set to unfold over the coming months. Ciongoli's departure from the chief legal and policy officer role takes effect Dec. 1, after which he moves into the special adviser position through mid-2028. Trutanich, as general counsel, will report directly to Murdoch and lead the legal team. Fox did not disclose further details about the reasons for Ciongoli's decision beyond his contract not being renewed.
The change comes as media companies continue to face scrutiny over content, distribution and corporate governance, making the top legal job at a major television and entertainment company a high-profile position. Fox Corp.'s legal department has drawn attention in recent years for its role in high-stakes litigation and policy debates tied to the company's news and sports programming. The appointment of Trutanich keeps that work under an executive already familiar with the company's internal operations.
For now, the company is presenting the shift as a planned succession. Ciongoli's continued advisory role through June 2028 is intended to smooth the handover, while Trutanich's promotion gives Fox a general counsel with direct experience inside the department. The effective date of Dec. 1 sets the timeline for the formal change at the top of Fox Corp.'s legal and policy operation.
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