Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution’s technology unit has added new executives and realigned under chief technology officer Aaron LaBerge.
The move comes with Disney diving deeper into streaming, direct-to-consumer businesses and advanced advertising.
The technology unit now has eight core groups: Advertising platforms, business operations, consumer experiences & platforms, content operations, content platforms, design, engineering services and media engineering.
The new execs are Oke Okaro, who joins from Verizon Communications as senior VP, business operations; Jen Schwarz from TicketNetwork, who will lead engineering services as senior VP; and Mike White, who moves from Disney Parks, Experiences & Products to lead a consumer experiences and products team as senior VP.
“This new alignment recognizes where our company is today, where it is going tomorrow, and positions us to continue Disney’s legacy of using technology to bring amazing stories and products to consumers everywhere, drive businesses and power innovation,” said LaBerge. “I’m energized to be welcoming new, talented colleagues to this incredible team as we ensure Disney remains at the forefront of the evolving future of media and technology.”
Also heading the core groups are Disney veterans Mike Andrews, senior VP, content platforms; Tagu Kato, senior VP, design; Chris Lawson, senior VP, content operations; Michael Pollard. Senior VP, media engineering; and Jeremy Helfand, who was made senior VP, ad platforms last year.
John Heerdt, previously senior VP, media engineering will move to an advisory position to LaBerge and Pollard until the end of 2021, when he will retire.
