According to PWInsider.com, a significant change in WWE’s creative department is set to take place in early 2026. Longtime writer Ryan Ward has been appointed to oversee the creative direction for both RAW and SmackDown.
This change has been described internally as “a recent adjustment” rather than a complete reorganization.
Despite this expanded role for Ward, Paul “Triple H” Levesque remains firmly in control as WWE’s Chief Content Officer.
He continues to hold final authority over major booking decisions, long-term storytelling, and the overall creative direction across all programming. The report also highlights that at the executive level, Bruce Prichard and Ed Koskey are the two key figures, with Prichard overseeing the broader creative process and Koskey focused on script review, maintaining tone consistency, and ensuring alignment with WWE’s corporate and brand goals.
Furthermore, each brand retains its own creative leadership structure. On SmackDown, “Road Dogg” Brian James and John Switaka share co-lead responsibilities, collaborating on weekly narratives and segment flow.
The creative team for RAW is co-led by Alexandra Williams and Jonathan Baeckstrom, who are responsible for story development as the show enters the Netflix era while building toward the WWE Royal Rumble 2026.
