Warner Bros. Discovery has solidified its new leadership team for its U.S. Networks business.
The company previously announced that the division will be led by Channing Dungey following the retirement of the division’s current chairman and CEO Kathleen Finch at the end of this year.
Dungey will also continue to serve in her current role as Warner Bros. Television Group chairman and CEO, where the studio is on track to have its most profitable year in scripted content in the last five years.
Joining Dungey will be Brett Paul as chief operating officer, who will be responsible for executing her plans for the division and leading business affairs and digital strategy. Paul, who will report to Dungey, will also continue as president of Warner Bros. Television Group.
Howard Lee has also been elevated to chief creative officer of the division, where he will be focused on content strategy across WBD’s linear networks and Max streaming service as well as global content licensing and partnerships. Lee, who will also report to Dungey, will continue to serve as president and head of content for TLC and Discovery.
Rounding out the leadership team are Susan Kolar, who has been named chief financial and strategy officer; and Karen Bronzo, who will continue as chief global marketing officer for U.S. networks and news. Kolar will continue to report to WBD CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels, while Bronzo reports to Dungey and CNN Worldwide chief operating officer David Leavy.
“This powerful group will work to redefine the role of the U.S. Networks by fortifying our linear business while continuing to develop a content engine that feeds Max and creates shows that smartly leverage and promote our unparalleled IP,” Dungey said in a Wednesday statement.
The move came as WBD also unveiled plans to restructure into two divisions — Global Linear Networks and Streaming & Studios — by mid-2025.
The structure is designed to bolster its “strategic flexibility and create potential opportunities to unlock additional shareholder value,” WBD CEO David Zaslav said.
Shares of Warner Bros. Discovery ended Wednesday’s trading session down 6.3% per share, closing at $10.63 apiece. WBD stock is down 67.7% since the company’s April 2022 merger, 11% in the past year and 8.8% year to date, but is up 52% in the past six months.
