Hello Sunshine, the media company founded by Reese Witherspoon, is switching up CEOs.
Maureen Polo, previously head of direct-to-consumer at Hello Sunshine, has been named CEO. She succeeds Sarah Harden, who is stepping down as chief exec and will remain with the company as an adviser into 2026 “to support the transition and continued strategic growth,” Hello Sunshine said.
Polo will work alongside Lauren Neustadter, Hello Sunshine’s president of film and TV, and Corey Shepardson, who has been promoted to the role of COO as head of business operations while remaining CFO.
“Sarah Harden’s exceptional leadership and unwavering support laid the foundation for Hello Sunshine’s success,” Witherspoon said in a statement. “From our initial meeting, when we discussed our shared values and our passion for storytelling to reac h women globally, Sarah’s mentorship and friendship have been invaluable to me. I am so proud of the bold, innovative company we built together with the most talented team. Her belief in my vision made my wildest dreams for this company a reality. As we embark on this new chapter, I am excited for Hello Sunshine’s future and eager to carry the company forward with the same spirit under the leadership of Maureen, Lauren, and our executive team.”
Polo said, “Hello Sunshine’s mission is aligned with my personal passion, and it’s an incredible honor to continue building and scaling this business alongside Reese and our exceptional team. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to work with and learn from Sarah for more than a decade, and I’m excited to lead Hello Sunshine into this next chapter.”
Harden, in a statement provided by Hello Sunshine, said, “I am profoundly grateful to have been Reese’s partner on this beautiful ride. Her fearlessness, curiosity, creativity and inspiring bar for excellence have been matched by her decency, humor and warmth – always in service of pushing the boundaries on what we could build together. “I know this mission will continue forward under the leadership of Maureen and the rest of our incredible team, which fills me with great pride.”
Prior to joining Hello Sunshine, Polo led marketing strategy and solutions for Warner Media’s entertainment portfolio, including HBO Max, TBS, truTV, Adult Swim, and Cartoon Network. Earlier, as General Manager at Fullscreen, she oversaw more than 350 employees and drove strategy across revenue, marketing, creative, production, and operations.
Hello Sunshine is part of Candle Media, the media and entertainment roll-up venture headed by co-chairmen and co-CEOs Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs (both former Disney execs). Candle is backed by funds managed by Blackstone’s private-equity business.
Pictured above: Maureen Polo (l.), Sarah Harden
