Discovery Communications said longtime programming executive Marjorie Kaplan will lead the company's international content strategy, a key growth area, reporting to Discovery Networks International president JB Perrette. Kaplan, who has been with Discovery for close to 20 years, has been lately overseeing Animal Planet and TLC. The company did not say what will happen with those roles when Kaplan transitions to her new London-based job in October.

Discovery said that in her newly created role, Kaplan will be "the international content leader responsible for strategy, coordination, and execution of all the division’s content and brand strategies across the entire portfolio, and on all platforms worldwide." 

“There is no one more talented, dynamic and strategic to lead Discovery’s international content strategy than Marjorie Kaplan,” Discovery CEO Dvaid Zaslav said in a release. “She has an unparalleled track record of developing breakthrough content across brands and demographics that travels well internationally, receives critical acclaim, and brings in big audiences. Marjorie also has a sharp eye for content that is genre- and format-busting, which should serve the company extremely well in this new position. Discovery’s international business is the company’s key differentiator, and I am excited to watch Marjorie take our global content engine to the next level.”

“Marjorie is one of the most respected leaders externally and internally as a fantastic collaborator, creative programmer, and preferred partner to the production community,” Perrette said in the release. “Our global content capability and expertise is our most important asset, and I am thrilled to have Marjorie’s immense talent to help drive our international content strategy.”

“I am excited to join the international leadership team and to partner with them on a global creative culture that generates brand-building content and ambitious intellectual property that can help Discovery soar in all of the 220 countries and territories where our brands are already strong,” Kaplan said.

Here's how Discovery described her new role: Kaplan will be responsible for global brands and formats, female lifestyle, male factual, scripted, and kids – for all platforms, from linear to OTT to free-to-air. She will lead the DNI Production & Development team, working with Discovery’s regional managing directors and heads of content to ensure that the pipeline of content is strong, vibrant and forward-leaning. She will work closely with Discovery’s production companies betty, RAW and All3Media as well as the entire production community to unlock the creativity and untapped intellectual property.

Phil Craig, Discovery Networks International’s chief creative officer, and Rosemary Newell, senior vice president of programming & content operations, will report to Kaplan. Discovery noted the company recently acquired exclusive TV and multiplatform rights to the 2018-2024 Olympic Games across Europe, and that Kaplan will "look to create new content and storytelling ideas that maximize the value of the Olympic franchise across Europe, working closely with the Eurosport team."

Kaplan launched Discovery Kids and, in 2007, took over Animal Planet. In 2014, she also took on the leadership of TLC. Her oversight also includes Velocity, and she had been the interim head of Discovery Channel, now operating under president Rich Ross.

Discovery Communications has reached out to former Shine America and Disney executive Rich Ross to head its flagship brand.

Ross will join Discovery Channel as its president in January and will be based in the network's Los Angeles.

Reporting to Discovery Communications president and CEO David Zaslav, the former Shine America CEO and longtime Disney executive will oversee creative and brand strategy, development, production, marketing and all day-to-day operations for the network.

Marjorie Kaplan, who has served as interim president for the Discovery Channel after the August move of former Discovery head Eileen O'Neill to Discovery Studios, will continue in that role until Ross’s arrival next year. She will continue to serve as group president of TLC and Animal Planet, and will add Velocity to the portfolio of networks under her leadership.

"Rich is one of the most creative storytellers, ratings drivers, brand builders and TV executives in the industry today," said Zaslav. "On top of being just a great guy, Rich also is mission driven, with a commitment to quality, blue-chip programming and is a terrific fit with Discovery.  I am confident that with his experience, relationships and creative leadership, Rich can lead Discovery to its next great chapter in innovative, groundbreaking television.”

Ross takes over a network that's on a ratings roll of late. Discovery, backed by such hits as Fast N' Loud, Gold Rush and Alaska: The Last Frontier, finished among the top 10 most watched cable networks in primetime during the month of October, averaging 1.1 million viewers, up 16% from a year ago, according to Nielsen.

Prior to Shine, Ross served as Chairman of Walt Disney Studios from 2009-12 overseeing worldwide production, distribution and marketing for the Walt Disney, Disney-Pixar and Marvel movie studios. Before that, Ross headed up the tween-targeted Disney Channel and during his five year tenure led the service to record ratings growth. He oversaw the development of cable’s most watched original movie of alltime in 2007’s High School Musical2 and the top two scripted telecasts ever among Kids 6-11 and Tweens in Musical and 2009's Wizards of Waverly Place The Movie.

Twelve top-performing executives in cable television operations, programming, network distribution and advertising sales have been selected by the editors of Multichannel News as the 2013 class of Wonder Women.

They will be profiled in the Jan. 28 edition of Multichannel News and will be honored at a luncheon event on March 19 at the Hilton New York hotel. For more information about the event, email Sandy Friedman (sfriedman@nbmedia.com).

Here is the 2013 class of Wonder Women:

Jamia Bigalow, senior vice president, distribution marketing, Fox Networks

Denise Denson, executive vice president, content distribution and marketing, Viacom Media Networks

Viviane Eisenberg, senior vice president and chief counsel, programming, global marketing and global licensing, HBO

Irene Esteves, executive vice president and chief financial officer, Time Warner Cable

Tamara Franklin, senior vice president, affiliate operations and new media distribution, Scripps Networks Interactive

Jacqueline Hernandez, chief operating officer, Telemundo Media

Ava Jordhamo, president, New York, Zenith

Nancy Kanter, senior vice president, original programming, and general manager, Disney Junior Worldwide

Marjorie Kaplan, president and general manager, Animal Planet; president, Science & Velocity Networks

Cathy Kilstrom, senior vice president, customer care, West Division, Comcast Cable

Kim Norris, executive vice president, emerging businesses and data analytics, Cablevision Media Sales

Donna Speciale, president, Turner Entertainment & Young Adults Ad Sales

The editors of Multichannel News will also be selecting a class of Women to Watch who will be honored at the luncheon, co-hosted with the New York chapter of Women in Cable Telecommunications.