Warner Bros. Discovery has unveiled key details of its upcoming separation with top leadership and the names of the two new companies. Teams are both comprised of current executives with many in similar roles although some titles have been tweaked.
Streaming & Studios, which will be home to Warner Bros. Television, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, DC Studios, HBO, HBO Max and Warner Bros. Gaming Studios, and the film and television libraries will be called Warner Bros., “honoring the legacy of more than a century of industry-defining storytelling,” WBD said. Global Networks including CNN, TNT Sports in the U.S., Discovery, and free-to-air channels across Europe, the Discovery+ streaming service and Bleacher Report (B/R), will be called Discovery Global.
WBD first signaled plans to separate last year and made it official in June, anticipating a close by mid-2026. That followed Comcast’s move to spin off NBCUniversal’s cable networks into a standalone public company called Versante — a transaction which is is well underway and should be completed by year end. In both cases, decisions were driven by the desire for increased flexibility amid a decline of legacy linear television.
As reported, WBD CEO David Zaslav will hold the same title at the new Warner Bros. WBD CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels will be CEO of Discovery Global. The executives listed below are their direct reports unless otherwise indicated. David Leavy, who exited as chief operating officer of CNN Worldwide in May to return to parent Warner Bros. Discovery in an unspecified role, was not named.
At the new Warner Bros., Bruce Campbell will be Chief Operating Officer. His title currently is Chief Revenue and Strategy Officer.
Pam Abdy and Mike De Luca will be co-chairs and CEOs of Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group.
James Gunn and Peter Safran will each be co-chairman and CEO of DC Studios.
Casey Bloys, currently chairman and CEO, HBO and Max Content, will become chairman and CEO, HBO and HBO Max.
Channing Dungey, currently chairman and CEO of the Warner Bros. Television Group and Warner Bros. Discovery’s US Networks, will be Chair & CEO, Warner Bros. TV Group.
JB Perrette will be CEO & President of Streaming and Games. Avi Saxena will be Chief Technology Officer, reporting to Perrette.
Robert Gibbs will be Chief Communications & Public Affairs Officer.
Warner Bros. has begun searches for both the Chief Financial Officer and Chief People & Culture Officer roles, while Discovery Global is looking to hire a Chief Communications & Public Affairs Officer.
“We will proudly continue the more than century-long legacy of Warner Bros. through our commitment to bringing culture-defining stories, characters and entertainment to audiences around the world,” said Zaslav. “Over the past several years, we have made important strides across the business, launching and investing in a profitable, global streaming service and reinvigorating our studios to return them again to an industry leading position. With our unmatched portfolio of storytelling IP coupled with our incredible creative partners, and now an executive team of proven, bold, and committed creative and corporate leaders, we are in a strong position to launch and continue to meaningfully grow a company worthy of our storied past.”
Discovery Global lineup: Luis Silberwasser will beChairman and CEO, TNT Sports and Mark Thompson, Chairman and CEO, CNN Worldwide.
Gerhard Zeiler, currently President, International. will be President, US, UK & Germany, Discovery+ and Chief Content Officer. Fernando Medin, currently President and Managing Director of Warner Bros. Discovery Latin America and U.S. Hispanic, will become President, International.
Scott Miller will be President, Distribution, Bobby Voltaggio, President, US Ad Sales Platform Monetization, and Ryan Gould, President, US Ad Sales GTM, and Fulvia Nicoli, Executive Vice President, Content Strategy & Insights, all reporting to Zeiler.
Other appointments: Sue Underwald as Chief Legal Officer; Fraser Woodford, Chief Financial Officer; David Duvall, Chief Technology Officer; Amy Girdwood, Chief People & Culture Officer; Anil Jhingan, Chief Development Officer and Kasia Kieli, President and MD, Poland and CEO, TVN.
“As we prepare for the launch of Discovery Global, our enthusiasm for the opportunities ahead only grows thanks to our leading portfolio of beloved brands and programming, our worldwide footprint for adults, kids, and families, and now the experienced and talented leadership team who will ensure strong operational execution to drive strategic investments and deliver compelling content to global audiences,” said Wiedenfels.
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