Discovery Communications Inc., on March 1 disclosed the new senior leadership team for the company following its acquisition of Scripps Networks Interactive Inc., which is expected to close within weeks.
Appointments announced March 1 that will report to Discovery CEO and President David Zaslav include:
* Discovery's Gunnar Wiedenfels, who will serve as CFO of the combined company, the same position he holds at Discovery.
* Jean-Briac Perrette, president and CEO of Discovery Networks International, who will continue overseeing the combined company's global expansion.
* Bruce Campbell, Discovery's chief development, distribution and legal officer, who will retain that role at the combined company.
* Jon Steinlauf, Scripps Network's president of national ad sales and marketing, who will be chief U.S. advertising sales officer of the combined company.
* Kathleen Finch, chief programming, content and brand officer for Scripps Networks, who will become the chief lifestyle brands officer for the combined company, overseeing HGTV, Food Network, TLC, ID, Travel Channel, DIY Network, Cooking Channel, Discovery Life, American Heroes Channel, Destination America, Great American Country and Lifestyle Digital Studios in the U.S.
* TLC President Nancy Daniels, who will assume the new role of chief brand officer of Discovery & Factual, effective immediately, overseeing all aspects of Discovery Channel and the Science Channel brands. Rich Ross, group president of Discovery Channel and Science Channel, will be leaving the company.
* Susanna Dinnage, global president of the Animal Planet network in the U.S. and the Animal Planet brand worldwide, will continue in that role.
* Erik Logan, president of OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network, will continue in that role and report to the OWN Venture Board of Directors.
* Karen Leever, executive vice president and general manager of digital media in the U.S.; and Mike Lang, president of Discovery Networks International digital and CEO of TEN/MotorTrend, will continue in those roles.
