KAREN LEEVER NAMED EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT & GENERAL MANAGER, DIGITAL MEDIA AT DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
October 15, 2015
NEW YORK – Discovery Communications announced today that digital commerce and marketing executive Karen Leever will join the company as Executive Vice President & General Manager, Digital Media. In this role, Leever will oversee the company’s expansive digital brands and businesses in the United States, spanning the Discovery Digital Networks web-native portfolio to the newly launched Discovery VR, the company’s breakthrough virtual reality product. She also will lead strategy, design and development for all Discovery apps and be responsible for driving design and development of the network websites. The announcement was made by Chief Commercial Officer Paul Guyardo, to whom Leever will report.
“Digital is driving our industry in new and exciting ways, and Discovery is focused on delivering engaging content, smart innovation and growing audiences across platforms,” said Guyardo. “I know from experience that Karen is one of the best in the digital space and her diverse and impressive expertise will be invaluable to Discovery as we grow our digital brands and businesses even further.”
Based in Discovery’s New York office, Leever will drive Discovery’s domestic digital strategy with a focus on quality content that engages audiences and can be monetized across screens. In addition to developing new revenue streams and delivering world-class consumer experiences across platforms, she will oversee Discovery’s portfolio of digital native brands and investments, in addition to all app strategy, design and development. Working with digital and brand leaders across her team and the U.S. networks, Leever will drive product design and development of the network websites and champion the growth of Discovery’s flourishing online video business – which currently generates 375M streams/month globally. She also will expand the reach of Discovery’s digital business through new initiatives, such as Discovery VR, while supporting current digital investments and exploring new ones.
“Discovery has built a robust portfolio of brands and networks for the mobile generation. I am very excited to work with my new colleagues to reach wider audiences, continue to develop new partnerships and drive innovative content and digital experiences for our very passionate fans,” added Leever.
Leever has held leadership positions across digital media, strategy, marketing, product development, direct sales and operations. She joins Discovery Communications from DIRECTV, where she spent 10 years driving the satellite television company’s business and served most recently as Senior Vice President, Digital and Direct Sales. At DIRECTV, she drove new subscription acquisition growth, digital product strategy and all cross-platform digital efforts, in addition to launching the company’s first responsive TV Everywhere streaming product and NFLSundayTicket.tv, DIRECTV’s first over-the-top video service.
Prior to joining DIRECTV, Leever led the planning, launch and operations for a revamped kmart.com as Vice President of E-commerce and Marketing. Earlier, she spent more than a decade in electronic TV retailing both at HSN and QVC, overseeing website design, messaging, pricing and programming strategies. She graduated from Lehigh University, and served as DIRECTV’s Executive Mentor for the New York and New Jersey All Stars Project.
About Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications (Nasdaq: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) is the world’s #1 pay-TV programmer reaching nearly 3 billion cumulative subscribers in more than 220 countries and territories. For 30 years Discovery has been dedicated to satisfying curiosity and entertaining viewers with high-quality content through its global television brands, led by Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Investigation Discovery, Science and Turbo/Velocity, as well as U.S. joint venture network OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. Discovery controls Eurosport, the leading pan-regional sports entertainment destination across Europe and Asia-Pacific. Discovery also is a leading provider of educational products and services to schools, including an award-winning series of K-12 digital textbooks, through Discovery Education, and a digital leader with a diversified online portfolio, including Discovery Digital Networks. For more information, please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.