HBO acting chief executive Bill Nelson is to become the US network's new permanent chairman and chief executive.

The announcement comes following the dismissal of Chris Albrecht last month, who was arrested for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend on the streets of Las Vegas.

Nelson, who has been at the network since 1984, was previously HBO's chief operating officer. Reporting into the chairman and chief executive of HBO's parent company Time Warner, Dick Parsons, and its chief operating officer Jeff Bewkes, Nelson will lead restructured management team including HBO veterans Harold Akselrad, Eric Kessler and Richard Plepler.

All three have been made co-presidents at HBO. Michael Lombardo has also been promoted to president of the programming group and West Coast operations.