Former CNBC and NBC executive Jonathan Wald is CNN’s choice to be the backstage man in charge of CNN’s new Piers Morgan talk show.

Wald left as senior vice president of CNBC last year after five years running the business network’s news operation. Previously, he was executive producer of NBC’s “Today” show and “NBC Nightly News” when Tom Brokaw was anchor.

Morgan, a veteran British journalist known primarily in the U.S. as a judge on “America’s Got Talent,” was picked by CNN to replace Larry King in CNN’s prime-time lineup. His show at 9 p.m. Eastern will debut in January.

Wald said Monday that he hopes to produce a show that will “live in the center lane of American conversation.”