Plex has named former Pluto TV ad sales chief Harold Morgenstern as its new chief revenue officer, while ex NBCUniversal and Disney executive Lindsay Jespersen has been tapped as the streaming company's new chief financial officer.
Morgenstern left ViacomCBS in December, having built recent $340 million AVOD acquisitions Pluto TV's ad sales team into a unit capable of a $1 billion revenue year in 2021. His lengthy resume also includes a 15-year stint at Discovery.
Morgenstern will be Plex's first CRO,
“Plex has always built solid technology with a focus on engineering for all platforms, including our ad platform,” said Plex CEO Keith Valory, in a statement. “Now we not only have the right technology backbone, but also a well-rounded ad team with Harold at the helm. Under his leadership we will focus on being the best possible partner to brands, and will continue to drive innovation and develop transparent solutions for advanced CTV advertising across the Plex platform.”
Added Morgenstern: “Plex’s AVOD business is in all-out growth mode, and what appealed to me most about joining the team is their entrepreneurial spirit, interest in client success, and a continued drive to outperform each and every day on behalf of all their advertising, content, and distribution partners. Plex is looking to separate themselves from the pack of other AVOD platforms who leverage their clients and agencies to purchase their digital offerings in order to secure access to diminishing traditional linear TV inventory.”
Meanwhile, Jespersen previously served as VP of finance for NBCU's global distribution and international segment, supporting that unit's chairman and overseeing financial planning and analysis as well as strategic planning for the film and distribution businesses.
Prior to that, Jespersen served as VP of finance and strategy at The Walt Disney Company, where she led a global team responsible for the financial operations of ABC News.
She will now lead Plex's finance, accounting, legal, and strategic planning functions through its next phase of growth.
Plex also named former Zappos personnel woman Christa Foley as VP of people.
Rooted in a popular software product for personal media management, Los Gatos, Calif.-based Plex has transformed itself into an AVOD player. It bills itself as the largest independent ad-supported video on demand and streaming media platform, offering almost 200 live TV channels and more than 40,000 on-demand movies and TV episodes. Plex says it has more than 25 million registered users globally,
