Robert L. Johnson

Robert L. Johnson is the Founder and Chairman of The RLJ Companies, LLC, an innovative business network, and owns or holds interests in businesses operating in hotel real estate, private equity, 401k fintech services, automobile dealerships, content streaming, gaming and sports betting. Prior to forming The RLJ Companies, Mr. Johnson was founder and chairman of Black Entertainment Television (BET), the nation's first Black-owned cable television network, which was acquired by Viacom in 2001. He continued to serve as chief executive officer of BET until 2006. Before founding BET in 1979, Mr. Johnson served as vice president of government relations for the National Cable & Telecommunications Association.