MSNBC has hired Scott Matthews, who has most recently been vice president and news director at WABC-TV, as its senior vice president of newsgathering.

Matthews is a key component of MSNBC President Rebecca Kutler‘s plans to build up a news operation as the network prepares to separate from Comcast and will no longer have the resources of NBC News.

Matthews is planning to hire more than 100 journalists, including field producers, correspondents and photographers. He will also establish a new assignment desk and set editorial priorities.

Before WABC-TV, Matthews was the vice president of news and specials for CNBC from 2011 to 2019. He also led the investigative unit and developed shows like the CNBC Prime series Secret Lives of the Super Rich. He also worked as director of programming for CNN Productions and at other stations in New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Phoenix.

Kutler has previously said that she plans to establish and MSNBC Washington, D.C. bureau, as well as hire a head of talent and content strategy.

This week, Kutler announced that two D.C. veterans, Eugene Daniels of Politico and Jackie Alemany of The Washington Post, would be joining the network.

Matthews will start in his new position on March 17.