Earlier this year, it was revealed that Aaron LaBerge was stepping down as the Chief Product & Technology Officer, Disney Entertainment and ESPN, to go become the CTO of Penn Entertainment, where he will help with building out the ESPN Bet platform.

Disney has announced Aaron’s replacement, Adam Smith, who is taking over the role from September 3rd 2024, and he will oversee a global Product and Technology group spanning Disney’s entertainment and sports media businesses, which includes Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+.

He will be responsible for driving technology strategy, development, deployment and continued innovation across the company’s streaming platforms and networks, portfolio of consumer digital touchpoints, proprietary advertising technology, emerging technologies and more.

Adam has previously worked as the Vice President, Product Management at YouTube since 2016.  He played an integral role in building out its biggest consumer-facing products.  He previously held roles at Random House/Bertelsmann. Smith has served on the board of REDF since 2009. He earned a bachelor’s in Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley and holds an MBA from Stanford University.

Disney Entertainment Co-Chairmen Alan Bergman and Dana Walden and ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro said in a joint statement:

“We could not be more thrilled to have Adam join the Disney team in this pivotal role. We’ve been aggressive in advancing our technological capabilities to better support our world-class media, streaming and advertising businesses, and Adam brings a bold, consumer-focused vision for the future and a proven ability to effectively lead global teams in implementing ambitious, scalable and flexible products and technology that will continue to elevate storytelling as the center of the Disney experience.”

Adam Smith added:

“Disney has built and nurtured an unparalleled portfolio of brands bringing joy and delight to fans of all ages, thanks to a culture of creativity that embraces innovation.  I believe Disney is uniquely positioned to thrive in the next evolution of media and has made significant progress in a very short time while keeping storytelling front and center. I look forward to working closely with Alan, Dana and Jimmy and their top-notch teams and am excited to bring my expertise in utilizing technology to build compelling consumer experiences that will drive engagement and discovery among fans, families and friends.”

What do you think of this hiring?  Let me know on social media!

Roger Palmer

Roger has been a Disney fan since he was a kid and this interest has grown over the years. He has visited Disney Parks around the globe and has a vast collection of Disney movies and collectibles. He is the owner of What's On Disney Plus & DisKingdom. Email: Roger@WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com Twitter: Twitter.com/RogPalmerUK Facebook: Facebook.com/rogpalmeruk

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