Toby Byrne, president of advertising sales at Fox Networks Group, has turned in-house to veteran to serve as his No. 2.
Bruce Lefkowitz, who was serving as executive vice president for Fox Cable Entertainment, has been promoted to executive vice president, advertising sales for FNG.
The move, following the previously announced restructuring of FNG’s sales team, places Lefkowitz in charge of advertising revenue and sales strategy across broadcast, cable, sports, Spanish-language media and non-linear platforms. He will also supervise Fox’s sales offices in Chicago, Detroit and Los Angeles.
“Lefko is one of the most respected executives in the business,” said Byrne. “His management experience across the linear media marketplace and cross platform ad sales has him well-prepared for this opportunity. He is an enthusiastic and energetic manager, and I look forward to working with him in his new role as we navigate the evolving media landscape, finding creative ways to grow revenues and deliver maximum value to our clients.”
Lefkowitz will also supervise the department’s six new “agency leads.” According to Byrne: “The company has recently transformed and aligned the sales team to match up with specific agency partners. Guiding every step of this reorganization is a firm commitment to best serve agency and client objectives with customized, measurable results. A major priority will be ad product innovation - exemplified by our recent acquisition of TrueX, which offers advertisers a unique, highly engaged advertising platform in our premium digital content.”
Prior to joining Fox Cable Networks in January 2002, Lefkowitz served as senior vice president, national advertising sales for Discovery Networks, where he had oversight of the day-to-day management and strategy of advertising sales for the programmer's national television networks and digital companions.
Before that, he was vice president, syndication ad sales and business development for New World Sales and Marketing. In 1994, he was promoted to vice president, Turner International Ad Sales in London, where he launched and headed the European sales operation for TNT and Cartoon Network Europe. He began his sales career at Turner Entertainment Networks as a trainee before being promoted to account executive in 1988.
