David Decker was named president, content sales for Warner Bros. Discovery, effective January 2, 2023.

The company said the move followed a decision by content sales president Jim Wuthrich to resign at the end of the year. 

“Licensing our world-class content to premier partners is one of Warner Bros. Discovery’s strategic pillars and will be a key driver of our Company in the years ahead. I’m excited to see David’s expertise and collaborative leadership style applied to the whole of our Content Distribution business,” said Bruce Campbell, chief revenue and strategy officer at Warner Bros. Discovery.

Decker had been executive VP, content licensing for Warner Bros. He has been with the company for 18 years.

“Warner Bros. Discovery has the best content in the world, and it’s both humbling and exciting to be leading the division that brings those films and television shows into the homes and onto the screens of millions across North America. I am energized to work with our great teams and amazing partners to drive value for our customers and company,” Decker said. ■

Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution has promoted David Decker to executive vice president of cable and SVOD sales, succeeding veteran Tom Cerio, who is retiring at the end of March.

Decker will report to Ken Werner, president of Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution, with Cerio serving in a sales consultant position.

Last year, Decker, who has been with Warner Bros. for a decade, was promoted to the newly created position of executive vice president of business and legal affairs, Warner Bros. Worldwide Television Distribution. Prior to that, he had been EVP of business and legal affairs  for WBDTD and Telepictures Productions since 2009

“David is the perfect person to take the reins from Tommy and lead our cable and SVOD sales domestically,” said Jeffrey Schlesinger, president of Warner Bros. Worldwide Television Distribution. “Having worked on numerous innovative, complex and unusual licensing agreements on a global basis, David has a wide-ranging understanding of the distribution marketplace, its challenges and its opportunities.”

Before joining Warner Bros., Decker spent six years at Stone Stanley Entertainment. Prior to that, he served as a production attorney in the business affairs department at Buena Vista Television and as a contract attorney in the legal department of Paramount Pictures Network Television.

For his part, Cerio has helmed Warner Bros. cable domestic distribution since 2009.        

“Tommy is one of the most talented, innovative and dare I say, well-liked, executives in the television industry,” said Schlesinger.  “He has always been passionate about his deals as well as his relationships across the industry with clients, colleagues and competitors alike.  He is an innovative deal-maker, a savvy strategist and above all an ethical and respected executive.  While we will miss not having him run our cable and SVOD business on a daily basis, we are fortunate that he has agreed to let us to continue to tap into his expertise as a consultant.”