Albrecht's Comeback Karma

Chris Albrecht, the disgraced former CEO of HBO, will join the talent agency IMG, owned by buyout kind, Ted Forstmann. Albrecht will develop new business development efforts for TV and digital platforms. IMG represents Tiger Woods and Roger Federer, among other leading sports celebrities. During Albrecht's reign at HBO, the cable channel produced such hits as The Sopranos, Sex and the City and Six Feet Under.

Albrecht was quickly fired by Time Warner earlier in the year after being arrested and pleading guilty for choking his girlfriend in a Las Vegas parking lot. He admitted to a drinking problem; it was widely reported at the time that many years before, Time Warner paid a $400,000 settlement to a female employee after complaining of physical abuse by Albrecht.

In the New York Times yesterday, Albrecht was quoted as saying after his firing, "I made a mistake, and I paid a big price for it.”

Albrecht is enormously talented and combines a rare and balanced mix of creative instincts and business skills. Without this talent, Albrecht would have had no chance for a comeback. With this talent, however, doors quickly re-opened. It's now up to Albrecht to keep the doors open.