CLA appoints Tony Johnson as interim CEO July 8, 2025 By Rebecca Owen Following nine years of leadership from outgoing Chief Executive Mat Pfleger, CLA has announced the appointment of Tony Johnson as interim CEO, who will lead the organisation for an initial term from 1 July to 31 October 2025. Bringing over two decades of senior technology leadership, Tony joined CLA in April 2021 as Chief Technology Officer, following key roles across the retail and media industries. Most notably, he served as Senior Vice President, International IT at 20th Century Fox, where he spearheaded the digital transformation of the company’s international sales, marketing, and distribution operations. At CLA Tony has continued to drive innovation, stepping into the expanded role of Chief Operating Officer in February 2023. As COO, he played a pivotal role in shaping CLA’s operational, technology, and data strategies, while championing a culture of continuous improvement across the organisation. His broad experience in technology leadership, combined with his work across the media and creative industries, will be invaluable as CLA continues to navigate technological change and develops the role of collective licensing in the era of artificial intelligence. Kit Fan, Co-Chair of CLA commented: “The CLA Board is delighted to welcome Tony as interim CEO during this pivotal period for the organisation. His extensive expertise and proven leadership will strengthen our operations and ensure that creators and rightsholders receive proper remuneration for their work”. Speaking about his appointment, Tony said: “I am honoured to lead an amazing team at CLA during this interim period. I look forward to working with our Members, the Executive Leadership Team, and the CLA Board to ensure we continue to evolve and provide sustainable licensing solutions in a rapidly changing environment.” Tony’s appointment comes at a pivotal time for CLA as the organisation continues to innovate and evolve its licensing solutions to meet the changing needs of the creative industries and wider society.
