Cadillac has a new global CMO in Deborah Wahl. Previously the CMO of McDonald’s for three years, Wahl will be tapped to lead the strategic marketing for the automobile manufacturer around the world.
“Deborah’s diverse experience, as well as her proven track record of building successful global brands, makes her a natural addition to our leadership team,” said Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen. “Cadillac has made incredible progress over the past several years in our long-term journey to regain our position as the pinnacle of premium luxury brands. Deborah’s experience and strategic vision will build on that progress and help propel Cadillac forward during our next phase of global growth.”
Wahl is a 20-year marketing veteran with several stops across the automotive industry, including roles as the VP and CMO at Chrysler, VP of Marketing at Lexus as well as multiple marketing and communications roles at Ford. Prior to her stint at McDonald’s, Wahls also served as CMO for homebuilder PulteGroup.
Brian Flinn has been promoted to chief marketing and communications officer for WWE.
In his new role, Flinn will oversee all marketing and corporate communications functions, including global consumer marketing, WWE Network marketing, creative services, special events, publicity, media relations and corporate communications.
“Brian has been an instrumental part of our company’s leadership team and I’m thrilled to announce his much-deserved promotion,” said Vince McMahon, WWE chairman and CEO. “In this new role, we are confident that he will continue to expand the opportunities for WWE, and further enhance visibility, brand reputation and audience engagement.”
Flinn will report directly to WWE co-president Michelle Wilson, who was promoted last month to her new role after previously serving as the CMO for WWE.
McDonald’s has promoted Alistair Macrow to oversee marketing strategy in nine high-growth markets, including China, Hong Kong, Italy, Poland, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland and Netherlands.
“Alistair has been part of the UK business for more than a decade and during that time he has been an integral member of our team,” said Paul Pomroy, chief executive of McDonald’s UK. “As UK chief marketing and communications officer he has spearheaded bold advertising campaigns, launched numerous new menu items and has led our work in challenging the myths around our business—leading his team and our agency partners to win numerous industry awards.”
Macrow has worked for McDonald’s since 2007. Before that, he was a managing director at Blockbuster.
James Pitaro has been promoted to president of ESPN and the co-chair of Disney Media Networks. He will be tapped to lead ESPN+, the conglomerate’s push into a new direct-to-consumer subscription streaming service.
“Jimmy is a talented and dedicated leader with the right strategic vision, relentless drive and passion for sports required to lead the stellar ESPN team at this incredibly dynamic time,” said Robert Iger, chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company. “Jimmy forged his career at the intersection of technology, sports and media, and his vast experience and keen perspective will be invaluable in taking ESPN into the future.”
Before his new post, Pitaro served as chairman of Disney Consumer Products and Interactive Media since 2016.
Discovery Communications has named TLC president Nancy Daniels as the chief brand officer for Discovery & Factual. Rich Ross, the head of the flagship Discovery Channel since 2014, will be leaving the company.
The moves were part of a larger leadership shake-up and come just as Discovery Communications nears its $11.9 billion merger with Scripps Networks Interactive.
“[The] announcement is another major milestone in combining these two fantastic companies into a new kind of media company with the most trusted portfolio of real-life entertainment brands in the world,” said David Zaslav, President and CEO, Discovery.
The Rest Of The C-Suite
(Editor’s Note: Our weekly careers post is updated daily. This installment will be updated until Friday, March 9. Have a new hire tip? Let us know at editorial@alistdaily.)
As it looks to scale its content operations, Facebook has announced a pair of new hires to its video team. Matthew Henick will be tapped to lead video content strategy and planning for the social network, and Mike Bidgoli will lead the Facebook Watch product team.
Henick leaves his position at BuzzFeed Studios, where he was making TV shows and films as the head of its division for the past three years. Bidgoli previously plied his craft at Pinterest as the advertising product lead for the photo-sharing service.
“Facebook is just setting out on its journey to become a new kind of video platform for the world, and the opportunity to tag along was just too good to pass up,” Henick wrote in a Facebook post.
“Facebook Watch is a challenging and ambitious attempt to solve a problem that personally and professionally captivates me,” Bidgoli wrote in a Medium post. “With more opportunities than ever for creators to distribute content, Facebook will play a huge part in unlocking this creative energy and connecting creators with their fan communities.”
Alex Coslov has been appointed VP of marketing for Republic Records.
He will be tasked with handling marketing for artists like Ariana Grande, The Weeknd, Lorde and Pearl Jam, who are just some of the artists signed under the Republic Records label. Coslov most recently was the head of marketing for Ultra Music.
“As an executive, Alex brings a new energy and fresh perspective to music marketing,” said Jim Roppo, executive VP and general manager for Republic Records. “He’s a young visionary whose potential is boundless, and he’s going to prove instrumental to the expansion of Republic’s influence throughout 2018 and beyond.”
Open source AI platform H2O.ai has brought on Ingrid Burton as its new CMO.
Burton was previously the CMO for Hortonworks, where she led the brand’s marketing shift and created ecosystem programs that positioned the company for growth.
“Our ambitious vision to make all of software and hardware intelligent and to make AI accessible to everyone will get a shot in the arm with Ingrid’s marketing and revenue machine behind us,” said Sri Ambati, CEO at H2O.ai. “She will propel the magic marketing behind the bustling H2O movement to the next level.”
Aventus, a London-based Blockchain ticketing platform, has hired Rob Edwards as COO. The ticketing-industry veteran has previously worked for software suppliers, ticketing companies and live entertainment organizations.
“Blockchain technology and ticketing are a perfect fit and the incredible team behind Aventus who are building a bridge to the blockchain for the ticketing supply-chain through the delivery of tools and blockchain API connectivity make this one of the most exciting opportunities of my career,” said Edwards.
Last week Aventus also named Andrew Ford as CMO.
J.C. Penney is shaking up its leadership team by eliminating 360 jobs, including 130 at corporate headquarters. The cuts, which also include 230 positions from within stores, are designed to save the company $25 million a year. The announcements were made just as the retailer reported earnings that missed expectations from analysts.
“As the company continues to make progress on its strategic framework and implement new processes and organizational efficiencies, it is imperative that we maintain a thoughtful approach to managing expenses, while effectively supporting the needs of the business,” said J.C. Penney CEO Marvin Ellison.
Pac-12 Networks has announced the hires of a pair of veteran sports media executives to lead its digital teams. The first wholly-owned collegiate conference media company named Larry Meyers as EVP of content and Sam Silverstein to VP of editorial.
“Larry Meyers brings a wealth of media company management and creative multi-platform content experience, along with a track record of success in driving audience engagement and growth to Pac-12 Networks,” said Mark Shuken, president of Pac-12 Networks. “As we continue to leverage our ownership model to innovate on behalf of our fans and drive value for our members, the addition of Larry and promotion of Sam will enable us to continue to grow and showcase the very best of the Pac-12 to our fans across the country and around the world.”
Job Vacancies
| Manager – Brand Strategy | United Airlines | Chicago, IL |
| Senior Creative Content Manager (China) | Riot Games | Los Angeles, CA |
| Sr. Manager, Global Strategic Marketing | Johnson & Johnson | Several Locations |
| Global Brand Marketing Manager | Hasbro | Burbank, CA |
| VP, Communications and Marketing | Warner Music Group | Burbank, CA |
| Sr. Manager, CMO Strategy | Electronic Arts | Redwood City, CA |
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