WarnerMedia has revealed its senior leadership in key European markets as it prepares for the international launch of streaming platform HBO Max.
Olivier Snanoudj, Eric Broet, Caroline Lang, Guillaume Coffin and Gregory Schuber will take on leadership responsibilities for France and Benelux; and Willi Geike, Steffen Schier, Peter Schauerte, Sylvia Rothblum, Matthias Heinze and Tim van Dyk assume leadership responsibilities for Germany, Austria and Switzerland (GAS).
They will operate under Iris Knobloch, recently named as country manager for WarnerMedia France, Benelux and GAS.
The senior positioning is part of media giant’s ongoing plans to integrate its WarnerMedia Entertainment Networks’ legacy Turner and HBO TV businesses with Warner Bros’ theatrical distribution, TV syndication, home entertainment, consumer products, gaming and location-based entertainment activities.
They will also work closely with head of HBO Max International Johannes Larcher, head of HBO Max for EMEA, Christina Sulebakk and their teams.
The move comes ahead of the launch of streaming platform HBO Max, which Andy Forssell, head of HBO Max Global, recently said would be available in Europe “by the end of next year”.
It also follows Warner Bros’ controversial announcement that it will launch all its 2021 releases in the US simultaneously on the platform for 30 days, dismantling the theatrical window that has structured film releases for decades. It is a decision that has come under fire from exhibitors, agents and filmmakers such as Christopher Nolan, but was yesterday defended by ATandT and WarnerMedia.
Announcing her leadership teams, Knobloch said they would help WarnerMedia prepare to serve new audiences “as we anticipate the future arrival of HBO Max in our markets”.
“Their commercial expertise, innovative thinking and passion for our content will be powerful drivers as we take this new business model forward,” she added.
Snanoudj and Schier respectively will lead theatrical distribution for France, Benelux and GAS.
Broet will lead home entertainment and consumer products for France and Benelux, with the support of Yves Elalouf, head of home entertainment for France and Benelux, and Jérôme Ollagnier, head of consumer products, France.
Schauerte will lead home entertainment and consumer products for GAS, supported by Veronika Tiedemann, head of home entertainment for GAS and Stefan Hausberg, head of consumer products for GAS.
Broet will also be responsible for supervising local theatrical production for France and Benelux.
Lang will continue to lead TV distribution for France and French-speaking territories and Rothblum will continue to lead it for GAS and Israel.
Coffin leads affiliates and ad sales for France and Benelux within his wider brief, and Heinze leads affiliates and ad sales for GAS also as part of his wider brief. They will work closely with Knobloch and Pierre Branco, WarnerMedia’s head of EMEA affiliates and ad sales and country manager for Nordics, CEE, MENAT and Africa.
Schuber and Van Dyk respectively continue to lead the marketing teams in France, Benelux and GAS.
Geike, formerly country manager for GAS and Poland, takes on a new role dedicated to local theatrical production for GAS.
Last month, WarnerMedia revealed its new-look senior team in Southeast Asia, India and Korea.
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