Discovery Networks Western Europe promotes Shmulewitz

July 9, 2012 by Kelly Anderson

Shmulewitz Bonard

Discovery Networks Western Europe has upped chief financial officer Yitz Shmulewitz (pictured, left) to chief operating officer, while Discovery Enterprises International’s Nicolas Bonard (right) has taken on an expanded role.

In Shmulewitz’s new role, he will work with Dee Forbes, president and managing director, on business development and growth opportunities.

Elsewhere, Nicolas Bonard, currently senior VP of Discovery Enterprises International, has been appointed general manager for France and Discovery Enterprises International.

Bonard will now be tasked with leading Discovery France, in addition to his existing role of overseeing Discovery Enterprises’s distribution of third-party programming, licensing and merchandising.

In other Discovery International news, Alexander Nielsen has been promoted from research director for the Nordic region to the new role of country manager for Norway and Nordic research director. He will report to Jan Andreassen, general manager of Discovery Networks Nordic.

“These promotions reflect the ambitious growth plans that the Western Europe business is embarking on,” said Dee Forbes, president and managing director, Discovery Networks Western Europe. “Yitz, Nick and Alex are very talented individuals and I am delighted that we have been able to recognize their ability and success with these much deserved promotions. ”

Over the last two years Discovery’s Western Europe business has grown with the launch of three free-to-air channels in Italy and Spain, while DNI’s female lifestyle brand TLC has rolled out in a number of markets, including Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Denmark.

Discovery also took a 20% stake in Televista, earlier this year, a French PayTV female lifestyle company.

Tags: Discovery Enterprises International, Discovery Networks Western Europe, Nicolas Bonard, Yitz Shmulewitz