DMED is responsible for next-gen direct-to-consumer and linear distribution, advertising technology, engineering, operations and Disney’s digital product portfolio.
Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution (DMED) Technology has added several new executives to its leadership ranks and restructured its tech teams as part of an ongoing effort to speed up innovation and Disney’s growth.
The realignment creates eight core groups within the DMED Technology group; Advertising Platforms, Business Operations, Consumer Experiences & Platforms, Content Operations, Content Platforms, Design, Engineering Services, and Media Engineering.
In addition to the structural changes, DMED Technology’s executive vice president and CTO, Aaron LaBerge announced that three new technologists-Oke Okaro, Jen Schwarz, and Mike White-would be joining his senior leadership team.
DMED Technology is one of the major business segments of The Walt Disney Company. It brings together product, technology and commercialisation teams that are responsible for next-generation DTC and linear distribution, advertising technology, engineering, operations, and Disney’s digital product portfolio.
“DMED Technology is among the most talented and innovative collection of people on the planet and I am inspired and privileged to work with them each day,” said LaBerge. “This new alignment recognises 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.”
Among the new members of the leadership team, Okaro joins as senior vice president, business operations, DMED Technology, leading the team that will partner with DMED businesses, to deliver global programme and project management, capital and portfolio management, investment and resource prioritisation and other key functions.
Schwarz joins as senior vice president of engineering services DMED Technology. The newly-created role will lead a team that provides connectivity and services across all of DMED Technology.
White joins as SVP Consumer Experiences & Platforms, uniting the engineering and product development teams responsible for the digital product portfolio from ABC, ABC News, Disney.com, Disney Now, ESPN, FX, Marvel, National Geographic and Star Wars. He joins from Disney Parks, Experiences and Products.
In addition to these new members of LaBerge’s leadership team, the division’s CTO has tapped several other executives for expanded roles, including Mike Andrews, Tagu Kato, Chris Lawson and Michael Pollard.
Jeremy Helfand will continue to lead the group’s Ad Platforms team, as senior vice president of Ad Platforms, DMED Technology, managing the development of advertising technology and products in collaboration with Disney Advertising Sales.
Andrews will lead the new Content Platforms team as senior vice president of content platforms at DMED Technology.
Kato will head up a new, centralised Design team as the vice president of design at DMED Technology.
Lawson has been elevated to the newly created role of senior vice president of content operations at DMED Technology.
Pollard has been elevated to senior vice president of media engineering.
Along with these changes, John Heerdt will move into an advisory position to LaBerge and Pollard until the end of 2021, when he will retire.