BlackFacts Details

Richelieu Dennis Steps Down As CEO of ESSENCE Amidst Investigation

On Wednesday (Jun 30) the iconic publication released a statement revealing that Dennis has reportedly “stepped down” as CEO while the magazine conducts its independent internal investigation over the claims written in an anonymous essay posted over the weekend, adding that Caroline Wanga will be acting as interim CEO while they undergo the process.

“Out of an abundance of caution and an unwavering commitment to transparency, ESSENCE is in the process of hiring law firms and other independent external experts to assess and review the company’s policies and practices and conduct comprehensive employee interviews, as well as independently review any harassment, discrimination, retaliation or other behaviors or issues that may adversely impact workplace culture,” the statement continued.

“To further foster the transparency we practice and value as well as to provide the necessary confidence to our employees and community that the process will be conducted in a fair and independent fashion, we shared with our staff earlier today that Caroline Wanga, who joined ESSENCE on June 29 as its new Chief Growth Officer, will step in as interim CEO of Essence Communications, Inc. to work with team leads across the organization and run day-to-day operations, as well as oversee the independent review process. ”

Out of an abundance of caution and an unwavering commitment to transparency, ESSENCE is in the process of hiring law firms and other independent external experts to assess and review the company’s policies and practices and conduct comprehensive employee interviews, as well as independently review any harassment, discrimination, retaliation or other behaviors or issues that may adversely impact workplace culture.

To further foster the transparency we practice and value as well as to provide the necessary confidence to our employees and community that the process will be conducted in a fair and independent fashion, we shared with our staff earlier today that Caroline Wanga, who joined ESSENCE on June 29 as its new Chief Growth Officer, will step in as interim CEO of Essence Communications, Inc. to work with team leads across the organization and run day-to-day operations, as well as oversee the independent review process.