Today, it has been announced that Luke Bradley-Jones, who is the general manager of Disney+ in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, is going to be leaving his role at Disney and will be taking up the new senior leadership role of President and Managing Director of The Economist this summer.

Luke Bradley-Jones was responsible for the roll-out of Disney+ across the region as well as the strategy, operations and commercial performance of Disney’s direct-to-consumer business.

Prior to this, he worked at Sky for eight years and helped launch Sky’s on-demand services and launched a range of products. In 2017 he assumed the role of Chief Marketing Officer at Sky, responsible for marketing strategy across Sky’s TV, broadband and mobile businesses. Before Sky, he held leadership roles in digital, business development and strategy at BBC Worldwide.

Luke Bradley-Jones’s main task will be to continue to accelerate The Economist’s digital evolution. He will be based in London and will also have a significant presence in The Economist’s New York office.

Lara Boro, chief executive of The Economist Group, said in a statement:

“I’m delighted to welcome these outstanding industry leaders to The Economist Group,” said Ms Boro. “Mr Bradley-Jones, an Economist aficionado and subscriber for 30 years, has the track record, vision and leadership ability to further The Economist’s audience growth and digital innovation. He knows how to create just the right products to reach global audiences on a variety of platforms. I couldn’t be happier to have him helm our core Economist business.”

Mr Bradley-Jones added:

“The Economist is a brand I’ve respected and relied on for years. I’m arriving at a moment when its commitment to well-balanced and incisive journalism is more important than ever before. It’s an honour to be tasked with identifying new ways to evolve The Economist into a digital-first product. I look forward to expanding its reach and impact.”

He also spoke about his time at Disney+:

“I’ve loved my time at the Walt Disney Company and the opportunity it’s given me to work on the highest quality stories and with the most talented and creative people. It’s been a privilege to lead the incredible launch and growth of Disney+ across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and I know the business will continue to flourish under Jan’s stewardship and the brilliant DTC teams across the region.”

Disney has begun a recruitment process to find his replacement.

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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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