People/Biz

Warner Bros. Discovery sets int’l leadership; new roles for Dogra, others

The leadership team for Warner Bros. Discovery’s (WBD) international outposts has been finalized. An internal memo from Gerhard Zeiler, a WarnerMedia veteran who was named president of Warner Bros. Discovery’s international ...
April 22, 2022

The leadership team for Warner Bros. Discovery’s (WBD) international outposts has been finalized.

An internal memo from Gerhard Zeiler, a WarnerMedia veteran who was named president of Warner Bros. Discovery’s international division earlier this month, has revealed the leadership structure for several global regions, aimed at increasing the focus in key markets.

Priya Dogra (pictured), who was appointed president of WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks, EMEA and APAC, in the summer of 2020, has been named president and managing director for EMEA (excluding Poland). She’ll oversee the integration and operation of the Discovery and WarnerMedia International divisions across the region.

Dogra will also add Discovery UK and Ireland to her remit, which were previously the domain of longtime Discovery exec James Gibbons. Gibbons, in turn, will transition to serve as president and managing director of Australia, New Zealand and Japan, reporting to Zeiler, while retaining his Nordics oversight for an interim period. For the latter, he will report in to Dogra.

The reshuffling also sees a departure from the ranks, as Whit Richardson, a longtime WarnerMedia exec who was upped to president of WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks in Latin America in 2020, will exit his post. Fernando Medin, president and managing director of Discovery Networks Latin America and U.S. Hispanic, now takes the role for the merged company.

As for other regions, Kasia Kieli, previously president and managing director for Discovery Networks Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa, is now president and managing director for Poland, and CEO of TVN. Discovery acquired TVN in 2018 as part of its acquisition of Scripps Networks Interactive.

Clement Schwebig, meanwhile, retains oversight for India, Southeast Asia and Korea as president and managing director. Gillian Zhao, named EVP and managing director for Warner Bros. China in 2016, retains oversight of that territory, reporting to Zeiler. Tony Qiu, currently GM and SVP for Greater China and Southeast Asia, and APAC DTC lead for Discovery, will report to Zeiler for his Greater China and DTC role and to Schwebig for his Southeast Asia responsibilities.

Anil Jhingan, currently president & MD for Discovery Asia Pacific, is moving into a new, expanded role leading business development for the enlarged Warner Bros. Discovery group across all of its international markets. Andrew Georgiou, who oversees Discovery’s sports business, will continue to do so under the title of president & managing director, WBD Sports Europe.

Robert Blair, named president of Warner Bros. International Television in 2019, continues in the role for WBD International Television Distribution, while Ronald Goes, previously EVP and head of Warner Bros. International TV Production, will continue to lead Warner Bros. International’s TV production business.

“I have no doubt that individually and collectively, they will help us achieve our ambition as the best and most dynamic media company in the world, working collaboratively and closely across WBD’s divisions including with our colleagues in the U.S,” Zeiler said in his memo.

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