• by Karlene Lukovitz  @KLmarketdaily, July 31, 2023

Warner Bros. Discovery is restructuring its ad sales organization to create teams dedicated to specific media buying agencies.

Other entertainment companies with broad media portfolios, including Paramount Global, have implemented similar structures in recent times.

Under the new structure, advertising agency partners will work with dedicated WBD sales leaders and teams to have direct, one-stop access to WBD’s entire portfolio of brands, including lifestyle, entertainment, sports, news and streaming.

The new strategy, based on input from clients and partners over the past year, also brings WBD’s full suite of advanced advertising sales solutions across the company’s linear and digital platforms together in a “more impactful way,” according to the company.  

“This new structure will allow us to deliver what matters most for all – creating a single and seamless interface into the full world of WBD,” said Jon Steinlauf, chief U.S. advertising sales officer, in announcing the changes.

Steinlauf expects the newly formed team to be in place/in the market by Labor Day. 

The new agency-focused teams will be led by Marybeth Strobel and Greg Regis.

Among the top six agency holding companies, Publicis, GroupM and Horizon Media accounts will sit with Regis, and Omnicom, Magna and Dentsu will be led by Strobel.  

Separately, Jon Diament will oversee advertising and partner strategy for a dedicated team for the WBD Sports portfolio. He will also manage relationships and development for more than 100 WBD clients who are official partners of the NBA, NCAA, MLB and NHL, and serve as the primary ad sales contact for internal stakeholders, including WBD Sports leadership the general manager of Bleacher Report, and others.

Ryan Gould will lead the digital team in a newly created role, and set the strategic direction of the company’s suite of digital offerings, including Max, Discovery+, WBD Stream and CNN digital. That team will also oversee the company’s advanced advertising, programmatic sales and data strategy. Gould will also be the primary ad sales contact for WBD’s internal streaming and direct-to-consumer leadership stakeholders.

Sheereen Russellwill oversee a new client partnerships team focused on client development and partnership strategy with key advertisers across the WBD linear and digital portfolio. This team will work closely with other WBD divisions such as  theatrical, distribution, gaming and licensing for topline revenue optimization. Russell will also continue to lead the inclusive ad sales solutions team, supporting brands seeking diverse audiences in front of and behind the camera.

Laura Galiettawill continue to lead integrated advertising sales marketing across all WBD digital and linear platforms and genres, develop strategic alliances with clients across the WBD portfolio and oversee the execution activation of customized, multi-platform solutions.

Robert Voltaggiowill continue to lead advertising sales revenue, planning and operations for all U.S. networks and digital platforms, portfolio management, sales support, commercial operations and direct response across the company’s portfolio.

Andrea Zapatawill continue to lead ad sales research, measurement, data and insights across all linear and digital brands and oversee marketplace intelligence, category and client insights and outcome-focused research for advertisers. In addition, she will be responsible for ad sales data strategy for the company’s data-driven linear, addressable and convergence solutions.