James Gibbons has been appointed to the newly created role of executive VP, head of product and business development for Discovery Networks Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEEMEA).
He will report to Kasia Kieli, president and MD, Discovery Networks CEEMEA, and as part of his remit oversee CEEMEA’s central commercial, creative and product development teams.
These are led by Lee Hobbs, VP of brand & content CEEMEA; Unai Iparragirre, VP of product development & innovation CEEMEA; Dilek Doyran, VP of commercial development CEEMEA; and Qaisar Rafique, VP of strategic development CEEMEA.
Before taking on his new position, Gibbons was EVP country manager for emerging business in Turkey, Middle East, Africa and the Mediterranean.
He has been with Discovery for over 17 years, starting in a programming role in Singapore and since then working in a variety of roles and territories across the globe, including heading up the Asia Pacific content and marketing division, and leading the consolidation of the Japanese business during his term as president of Discovery Japan.
Commenting on Gibbons’ appointment, Kasia Kieli said: “We live in a world of limitless choice, in which driving an authentic and meaningful experience for our fans and business partners is what sets Discovery apart. By appointing James into this new leadership role, we are putting more focus on delivering that unique Discovery experience to our stakeholders, in more ways than ever before. James has pioneered the way in establishing transformative partnerships and creating new products in territories like Turkey, Africa and the Middle East, and I now look forward to seeing his entrepreneurial spirit and risk-taking mentality in action across the wider CEEMEA region.”
Gibbons added: “I’ve been with Discovery for almost 20 years but it still feels like the journey is just beginning.
“CEEMEA is a complex and diverse region, with tremendous potential in both the linear and digital space, and I’m looking forward to tapping into every opportunity, bringing Discovery and Eurosport content to more people, across more screens than ever before.”
