Janet Rollé, the former general manager of Beyoncé’s Parkwood Entertainment, just made another power move up the corporate ladder. Rollé led all business operations for Sasha Fierce’s media management company which includes departments in music, film and video as well as artist management, business development, marketing, and publicity.
Rollé, who handled business for Queen Bey for five years, has been named the new CEO and executive director of the American Ballet Theatre, effective Jan. 3, 2022. Her hiring marks the first time a person of color has led the company.
“When my dear mom, an immigrant from Jamaica, took me to my first dance class at the age of eight at the YMCA in Mount Vernon, New York, she set me on the path that would provide the foundation of my career. Through dance, I learned how to be a professional, the value of discipline and technique, and my love for the creative process. These lessons have always been at the core of my professional life and work.
“It is therefore a singular privilege to be entrusted by the Board to preserve and extend the legacy of American Ballet Theatre, and to ensure its future prosperity, cultural impact, and relevance. To come full circle and be in a position to give back to the art that has given me so much is a source of unbridled and immense joy,” Rollé told CNN.
Rollé also previously served as executive vice president and chief marketing officer at CNN Worldwide, leading a staff of 110 and overseeing the promotion of all CNN brands and programming. She was the first executive vice president and chief marketing officer of BET Networks and served in senior positions at AOL, MTV Networks and HBO.
Rollé’s hiring is a breakthrough in the ballet world which has been highly criticized for ostracizing Black dancers.
