Kaizar Campwala

Kaizar Campwala served as the CEO of the Center for Investigative Reporting (CIR) from January 2022 until his resignation in August 2022. His tenure was marked by significant challenges, including financial difficulties that led to layoffs within the organization. Prior to joining CIR, Campwala had an extensive background in media, having worked at the Walt Disney Company where he oversaw ABC News' digital and streaming operations, including ABC News Live and Hulu's news vertical.24

Career Highlights::

• Background: Campwala co-founded CALmatters, a nonprofit focused on statehouse reporting in California, and held roles at Stitcher and Al Jazeera, where he launched their podcasting division.2
• Education: He holds a bachelor's degree from Brown University and an MBA from UCLA.2
• Leadership at CIR: His appointment was seen as a move to innovate and expand CIR's impact in investigative journalism. However, his leadership faced criticism from staff, culminating in a no-confidence letter sent to the CIR board shortly before his resignation.13

Campwala's departure followed a tumultuous period for CIR, which included the resignation of other key executives and significant staff reductions due to budget constraints. After his exit, Robert Rosenthal took over as acting CEO.14