WarnerMedia Names New CEO

Jason Kilar (48) has been named CEO of WarnerMedia, effective May 1st, according to Business Wire. Kilar comes with a resume of considerable accomplishments in digital media, including being the founding CEO of Hulu, the SVP at Amazons, and a board member at DreamWorks Animation. His knowledge of media, entertainment, and technology – and how to synchronize the three into consistently successful brands – is something that’s arguably sorely needed at WarnerMedia. The company encompasses HBO, Turner, Warner Bros. and Otter Media; and yet, HBO, the Warner Bros. library and specifically its biggest franchises like DC Comics and Harry Potter are still lagging behind competitors like Disney and Netflix, when it comes to carving out a share of the new digital streaming marketplace.

No doubt Kilar is coming onboard at veritable crisis moment for the industry. However, chaos often breeds opportunity: with WarnerMedia set to launch its own HBOMax streaming service soon, Kilar’s experience and leadership could actually make a massive difference in helping WarnerMedia finally capitalize on its massive library of content and franchises in the new frontier of streaming. Structuring the content library and creating a seamless streaming experience is something the new CEO can arguably deliver – and hopefully erase big missteps like the lackuster DC Universe streaming service that the company launched in late 2018.

Get the full press release about the new Warnermedia CEO below:

“Jason is a dynamic executive with the right skill set to lead WarnerMedia into the future. His experience in media and entertainment, direct-to-consumer video streaming and advertising is the perfect fit for WarnerMedia, and I am excited to have him lead the next chapter of WarnerMedia’s storied success,” said Stankey. “Our team led by Bob Greenblatt, Ann Sarnoff, Gerhard Zeiler and Jeff Zucker has done an amazing job establishing our brands as leaders in the hearts and minds of consumers. Adding Jason to the talented WarnerMedia family as we launch HBO Max in May gives us the right management team to strategically position our leading portfolio of brands, world-class talent and rich library of intellectual property for future growth.”

“In partnership with this world-class team, I’m so excited for the opportunity to lean into the future at WarnerMedia,” said Kilar. “Stories well told have always mattered, and they matter even more in this challenging time for the world. It will be a privilege to invent, create, and serve with so many talented people. May 1st can’t get here soon enough.”