Discovery Communications has appointed programming vet Suzanne Kolb to the post of executive vice president & general manager, Discovery Digital Networks, where she will oversee the company’s portfolio of more than 70 “web-native” brands and series, original digital development, the new Discovery VR division and social media partnerships.
Prior to joining Discovery, Kolb was president of E! Entertainment, overseeing the programmer’s cross-platform efforts, and is credited for launching franchises such as Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Chelsea Lately, Botched and Total Divas, and greenlighting the network's first original scripted series, The Royals. She joined E! in 2005 as SVP , marketing, and later rose to chief marketing officer for E! and Style, and GM of E! Online.
Before that, Kolb was EVP of marketing at The WB Television Network, where she helped to develop marketing campaigns and advertising partnerships for sseries such as Dawson's Creek, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Smallville, Gilmore Girls and Pokémon.
Kolb, who started her career at Grey Entertainment, will now split her time between Discovery’s Los Angeles and San Francisco offices, Discovery said.
“We are very fortunate to have Suzanne leading Discovery Digital Networks – networks that engage millennials and offer meaningful opportunities for advertisers and partners wanting to reach them,” Leever said, in a statement. “She is an accomplished entertainment executive and content champion, and I look forward to seeing DDN thrive under her leadership.”
“I love building culturally relevant, young adult content brands and businesses, and I am thrilled to join such a talented team to do just that at Discovery Digital Networks,” Kolb added. “Discovery Digital Networks offers some of the highest quality and most engaging content in digital today, and I see no limit to its potential to become the next great portfolio of brands within the Discovery family.”
