NBCUniversal, or NBCU, has announced that Jen Friedman, the managing director for public affairs at Blackstone, will be leading the global communications of NBCU after the recent promotion of their former communications chief Hillary Smith.

Friedman will start as NBCU's executive vp communications on January 10 according to the message to staff from NBCU's executive vp and parent company Comcast's chief administration officer Adam Miller. The news was delivered to the staff on Tuesday, December 15.

Friedman will directly report to Miller and work closely with NBCU CEO Jeff Shell. Hillary Smith used to head the corporate communications but let the role in October to oversee NBCU's corporate social responsibility. 

Before Friedman even joined Blackstone and held an executive position at General Electric, she has had extensive experience in governmental communication rolse. She was the White House deputy press secretary in the Obama administration. Her credentials included senior strategic communications adviser for the National Economic COuncil, head of communications for former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, and was in charge of different communications roles at the U.S. Department of Treasure, Department of Homeland Security, and Department of Commerce.