BBC Studios Americas president Ann Sarnoff has been appointed the first female chief executive of Warner Bros.

The news was announced by WarnerMedia chief executive John Stankey.

Ms Sarnoff said it was “a privilege to join a studio with such a storied history”.

“Warner Bros has been an industry leader for decades and is known for creating many of the most iconic film, television and gaming properties,” she said.

“I accept this position excited by the opportunity to work with the most accomplished executives and teams in media, and confident about carrying this incredible heritage forward with them.”

Mr Stankey said he was confident Ms Sarnoff would be “a great cultural fit”.

“I am delighted Ann is joining the WarnerMedia team and excited to work side by side with such a talented and accomplished individual,” he said in a statement.

Ms Sarnoff has previously held roles at the Women’s National Basketball Association, Dow Jones and Viacom, as well as the BBC.

Tim Davie, chief executive of BBC Studios, said: “Ann’s contribution to BBC Studios has been immense.

“She has grown our core business as well as driving significant innovation, including the successful creation of BritBox, the growth of BBC America alongside our partner AMCN, the launch of new channels like BBC Earth in Canada, and major new content and production deals.

“We will miss her generosity and her spirit of collaboration, and we wish her great success at Warner Bros.”

Ms Sarnoff is taking over the position from Kevin Tsujihara, who left his post earlier this year.