Gozon is leaving his post after more than two decades.
During his 84th birthday celebration on December 9, GMA Network, Inc. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Felipe L. Gozon announced his retirement.
Gozon will be leaving his CEO post, a position he held since 2000. Although, he will continue to particpate in the company’s management. He will remain as the Chairman and adviser of GMA, as well as the head of the network’s Program Planning group.
Gozon also shared that the board approved his retirement plans, as well as his succession plan for the network.
It was also in this regard that he named his successor, Gilberto “Jimmy” Duavit, Jr., who is the eldest son of GMA founder Gilberto Duavit, Sr.
Duavit is the President and Chief Operating Officer of the Kapuso network. He is also the sitting Chairman of the network’s Executive Committee.
To replace Duavit as GMA’s ExecCom chairman is Joel Marcelo Jimenez — son of another GMA founder, Menardo Jimenez. Jimenez is the current CEO of Menarco Holdings and CEO of GMA subsidiary Alta Productions, Inc.
The changes will take into effect on January 1, 2024.
It was in the early 2000s when GMA Network transformed itself under the leadership of Felipe Gozon from a distant second network to one that toppled the 17-year lead in Mega Manila of erstwhile rival station ABS-CBN in 2004.
In 2020, it regained complete dominance of the landscape after ABS-CBN was shut down following the expiry of its legislative franchise.
At present, GMA Network is the leading terrestrial television and radio broadcast network in the Philippines.
Collectively, GMA has more than 100 analog and digital TV stations nationwide, on top of their AM and FM stations under the Super Radyo and Barangay FM brands, respectively.
With the changing entertainment landscape, it has also forged tie-ups with multiple outfits like Regal Entertainment, and most notably, ABS-CBN.
Both media giants have begun working together this year, with their first being the co-produced series ‘Unbreak My Heart’.
Kapamilya noontime show ‘It’s Showtime’ then moved to GMA’s sister channel GTV in July after ending its TV5 simulcast on June 30.