Tom Freston

Tom Freston is a media executive, investor, and the cofounder of MTV Networks. His route to television began after an early entrepreneurial venture sourcing and exporting apparel in South Asia, before he joined the team that made MTV a defining global youth brand and grew the company’s roster to include Nickelodeon, VH1, Comedy Central, and CMT. He later served as CEO of Viacom, overseeing major entertainment businesses including Paramount Pictures and Simon & Schuster.

His new memoir, Unplugged: Adventures from MTV to Timbuktu, chronicles his unconventional journey through business, media, music, and global travel. Freston is now a principal of Firefly3, a media-and-entertainment investment and advisory firm, and board chair of The ONE Campaign.