On the eve of ESPN‘s long-anticipated direct-to-consumer streaming launch, Disney has added two key lieutenants to senior entertainment and ESPN exec Adam Smith’s team.
Smith, a YouTube and Google vet who came aboard a year ago as Chief Product & Technology Officer of Disney Entertainment and ESPN, has already made an internal announcement about the hirings. One of them is Tony Donohoe, who was most recently an exec at Walmart and will focus on ad platforms in his Disney role. The other is Erin Teague, who has worked for companies like Google and Morgan Stanley and will specialize in product management.
ESPN’s direct-to-consumer service launches Thursday, along with an enhanced version of its app. The service offers access to 12 of the company’s linear networks along with ESPN+ and select other content for an introductory price of $30 a month without a pay-TV subscription. Pay-TV subscribers can authenticate and gain access to the new app at no charge.
In a statement, Smith said the newly minted Disney execs are “exceptional leaders” who are joining “a team that is doing a ton of great things.” He added that they “bring technical firepower, deep expertise, and dynamic vision and will be a key part of our success driving innovation and user-centric products.”
Donohoe has more than 30 years of experience working in technology across the retail, financial services, travel, and enterprise software sectors. He held tech leadership posts at JP Morgan Chase and as CTO for Expedia and SoFi. As SVP, Technology at Walmart, he led a global team of more than 4,500 workers managing cloud infrastructure spending for commerce platforms. He launched the retail giant’s in-house DSP with self-serve capabilities and helped integrate first-party data into the platform. Co-ordinating with Disney Advertising, which led by Rita Ferro, Donohoe and his team will drive growth and innovation for the company’s ad business.
Teague’s background as a software engineer has given her a foundation as she has combined product expertise in sports, AI, and personalization with entertainment industry experience spanning film and television. She has held senior posts at Google, Yahoo, Twitter, and Morgan Stanley, among others. At Disney, she will lead a team that “helps shape some of the most beloved products in the world,” Smith said of his former Google colleague. “I’m so excited to get the chance to work with her again.”
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