# Tom Clendenin

> Tom Clendenin is the chief marketing officer of MS NOW and CNBC at Versant, where he oversees two news brands after a career spanning agency work, ESPN, Old Navy, Aéropostale, and nearly two decades around CNBC. His record is unusually consistent: translate dense information into stories people can use, connect brands to communities rather than slogans alone, and make large creative operations work through collaboration.

- **Role:** Chief Marketing Officer, MS NOW & CNBC at Versant
- **Organizations:** Versant, CNBC, MS NOW, NBCUniversal News Group, Aéropostale, Old Navy, ESPN, Partners & Shevack, Young & Rubicam, National Association of Securities Dealers, Elon University School of Communications National Advisory Board
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** Bachelor of Science in Business Economics, Alfred University
- **Known for:** Described by Versant and on his professional profile as a four-time Emmy Award-winning marketer., Spent 15 years shaping CNBC's brand across its business units before his 2025 Versant appointment., Helped lead CNBC's 2014 full 16:9 on-air visual redesign, built to clarify real-time financial information and strengthen storytelling.

## Career timeline

- **Before 1999** — Worked at the National Association of Securities Dealers, Young & Rubicam, and Partners & Shevack before joining ESPN.
- **1999** — Promoted at ESPN from director of advertising and promotion to vice president of advertising and promotion, responsible for marketing and creative services across ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic and ESPNews.
- **Early 2000s** — Served as senior vice president of marketing at Old Navy, developing strategic marketing plans.
- **2003** — Joined Aéropostale as senior vice president and director of marketing, leading marketing for Aéropostale and Jimmy'Z.
- **2006** — Joined CNBC after a period of independent consulting in brand strategy, product launches and business development.
- **2011** — As CNBC vice president of marketing, helped position the network's Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge as both a competition and a learning experience.
- **2014** — As CNBC senior vice president of marketing, helped lead the network's full-screen 16:9 on-air redesign focused on clearer, faster financial storytelling.
- **2017** — Connected CNBC's The Profit with Comcast Business events during National Small Business Week.
- **2023** — Led CNBC marketing as the network launched the Live Ambitiously brand platform.
- **2025** — Appointed chief marketing officer for CNBC and MSNBC, later MS NOW, as Versant prepared to separate from Comcast.
- **2026** — Credited as SVP and CMO of MS NOW and CNBC on the News & Documentary Emmy-nominated We the People brand campaign.

## Achievements

- Described by Versant and on his professional profile as a four-time Emmy Award-winning marketer.
- Spent 15 years shaping CNBC's brand across its business units before his 2025 Versant appointment.
- Helped lead CNBC's 2014 full 16:9 on-air visual redesign, built to clarify real-time financial information and strengthen storytelling.
- Led CNBC marketing for the 2023 Live Ambitiously brand platform.
- Appointed in 2025 to oversee marketing for both CNBC and MSNBC, which became MS NOW.
- Credited on MS NOW's We the People campaign, nominated in 2026 for a News & Documentary Emmy in promotional announcement: news.

## Latest updates

- **2026-05** — Named in the credits for MS NOW's We the People brand campaign, a 2026 News & Documentary Emmy nominee for Outstanding Promotional Announcement: News.
- **2026-01** — Continued as chief marketing officer of MS NOW and CNBC as Versant began operating as an independent public media company.
- **2025-11** — Oversaw marketing during MSNBC's rebrand to MS NOW.
- **2025-06** — Versant appointed him chief marketing officer for CNBC and MSNBC, overseeing marketing for both brands.

## Links

- Website: https://www.versantmedia.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-clendenin-309864b

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/tom-clendenin
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-14