Warner Bros. Discovery executives exit, prompting reshuffle

The executive deck is shuffling again at Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) as two more senior executives are departing, prompting another team restructure.

Source: Warner Bros Discovery

Streaming execs Meredith Gertler and Lisa Holme are exiting the US media giant, with several structural changes as a result. Meanwhile, Vanessa Brookman, previously head of kids for EMEA, has been promoted to GM of kids, global streaming and international networks.

The team changes were revealed in an internal memo to staff, seen by TBI, from JB Perrette, CEO and president of global streaming and games, seen who said that the changes “best align these crucial teams with some of our biggest areas of opportunity.”

Gertler is EVP of global content strategy, planning and analysis, with oversight of the company’s global streaming portfolio and long-term content investment strategy. She also has responsibility for the content and promotion scheduling teams across HBO, Love & Death streamer Max and Discovery+.

A WBD veteran, Gertler exits the company after almost 20 years, having started in marketing at HBO, before taking on her most recent role last year.

Holme, meanwhile, is group SVP of global content strategy, merchandising and podcasts. She joined Discovery in 2020 as group SVP, head of content and commercial strategy for streaming, arriving from Hulu, where she had served as VP of content acquisition.

Following their departures, Josh Walker, the chief financial and strategy officer for WBD streaming, will add content strategy, planning and EMEA acquisitions to his remit.

Responsibility for content merchandising and scheduling have meanwhile been passed to the marketing team, under WBD’s global chief marketing officer for D2C, Pato Spagnoletto.

FAST channels and podcasts will now be led by Michael Bishara, group SVP & GM of WBD’s D2C and digital studios group.

Global programming and scheduling for HBO linear and streaming service Max will now come under the purview of Jennie Morris, SVP of content strategy and planning for Max.

Content strategy, which is led by Bryan Rozycki and Ale Ortiz, and content planning, which is led by Jason Butler, will report to Walker in his expanded role.

EMEA Acquisitions, led by Ragnhild Thorbech, will also now report to Walker, while FAST scheduling and strategy under Matt Butler will report to Bishara.

Promoted kids’ exec Brookman, meanwhile, will continue to work closely with Michael Ouweleen and team from US networks in her new role, overseeing kids original content strategy and developing global kids content franchises, as well as greenlighting and acquiring kids content.

She will also retain responsibility, alongside Sam Register, for Hanna Barbera studios in London and for Adult Swim in EMEA.