Disney has announced that to help drive and diversify the content offering for Disney’s streaming and linear platforms, Marc Buhaj has been named vice president, Unscripted Series and Specials, Disney Branded Television. A 14-year veteran of Disney, he will now oversee a nonfiction portfolio spanning documentaries and docu-series, unscripted formats, variety and specials for Disney+, and unscripted series and specials for Disney Channels. He reports to Ayo Davis, executive vice president, Creative Development and Strategy, Disney Branded Television.

In making the announcement, Davis said, “Marc will align our great strengths to support our great opportunities – he is an intuitive leader and strategic thinker with a deep appreciation for creative storytelling, and he now gains a highly effective team with complementary strengths. His knowledge of the most effective ways to reflect and extend our core brands makes him ideally suited to propel their work and meet the needs of our viewers who want quality, innovative and appealing programs wherever they are watching our content.”

Reporting to Buhaj for Disney+ general audience content development are Nicole Silveira, director, Unscripted Formats; Marjon Javadi, director, Documentaries and Docu-series; Meghan de Boer, director, Variety and Specials; and Jordan Gilbert, director, Short-Form.  He will also expand the unscripted development efforts for kids and families to deliver more original Disney-quality content on Disney Channels and as such, Claire McCabe, vice president, Alternative Programming, will also report to him.

Buhaj said, “I’m excited by the opportunity to work with this talented team to realize the full potential of unscripted storytelling for Disney+ and Disney Channels. The development slate is deep, and we will continue to actively innovate and evolve the genre. Disney+ is the home of the most ambitious unscripted content with family, community and optimism at its core. We look forward to partnering with incredible storytellers around the world to inspire and delight new viewers, as well as fans of our premium brands.”

A versatile and well-regarded executive, Buhaj’s unique vision helped shape Disney Channels as a global leader in kids and family entertainment. He most recently was senior vice president, Programming, and general manager, Disney XD, and previously led International Original Series and Co-Productions for Disney Television Animation. He also served as vice president, Original Programming, Disney Channels, Europe, Middle East and Africa, overseeing Disney’s London-based production hub. He joined Disney in 2007 as senior vice president, Programming, Jetix Europe, after serving as vice president, Programming and Scheduling for Cartoon Network and Boomerang in the U.S., and as executive director, Programming and Acquisitions, for Turner Entertainment Networks in Asia. Earlier in his career, he worked for the Seven Network in his native Australia.

 This move shows how Disney is now continuing to restructure its business and put more focus on streaming, making it a priority.

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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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