Warner Bros Discovery unveils international leadership team

Warner Bros Discovery international president Gerhard Zeiler has unveiled his key post-merger leadership team, with Priya Dogra — previously head of WarnerMedia Europe, Middle East, and Africa and Asia, excluding China — among those getting a promotion.

In an internal memo seen by The Hollywood Reporter, Zeiler announced that Dogra had been appointed president and managing director of EMEA, excluding Poland, continuing to be based in London and responsible for “integrating and operating the Discovery and WM International orgs across the region.”

Dogra takes over in the U.K. and Nordics from James Gibbons, who has been named president and managing director Australia, New Zealand and Japan. Gibbons will continue to manage the Nordics for an interim period and help transition the leading of Discovery U.K. and Ireland to Dogra, before moving to Asia in early 2023.

Elsewhere, Anil Jhingan — formerly Discovery’s Asia Pacific president and managing director — emerges from the restructuring in a new role leading business development for the enlarged group across all of its international markets, as part of Bruce Campbell’s organization.

Meanwhile, Kasia Kieli, previously president and MD, Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, moves to a smaller territory as president and managing director for Poland and CEO of Discovery’s local channel TVN.

Other names in the memo include Fernando Media, appointed president and MD Latin American and U.S. Hispanic, and replacing LatAm boss Whit Richardson who is the only departure, Clement Schwebig, named president and managing director, South-East Asia, Korea and India, Gillian Zhao as president of China WM, Andrew Georgiou who will continue as president and managing director of WBD Sports Europe, Robert Blair who continues to lead licensing and Ronald Goes who continues as EVP and head of international TV production.

“Our combined international business has significant scale, and a diversified portfolio — both geographically and across lines of business,” said Zeiler. “As a result, when deciding the new leadership structure, we wanted to ensure that we had dedicated regional leads to reflect the scale and complexity of the business which would, in turn, increase focus on key markets.”

Zeiler added: “I have every confidence in this group of leaders. 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.” The Hollywood Reporter