Disney has appointed Google and YouTube vet Adam Smith chief product and technology officer for Disney Entertainment and ESPN.
Smith takes over the position following the June exit of Aaron LaBerge, who shifted to CTO and head of online-sports-betting company Penn Entertainment, which last year struck a major deal with ESPN to rebrand Penn’s business from Barstool Sportsbook to ESPN Bet.
The high-profile hire is a sign that Disney is increasingly looking to streaming operations as its future. Smith begins his new role Sept. 3, reporting to Disney Entertainment co-chairmen Alan Bergman and Dana Walden and ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro.
Heading up the division, Smith will be lead on driving technology strategy, development, deployment, and innovation across the company’s media units, including streaming platforms; networks;
digital offerings for ABC, ABC News, Disney, ESPN, Marvel, Nat Geo and more; advertising technology; visual and production technologies; and emerging technologies, among other responsibilities.
Most recently, Smith served as vice president of product management at YouTube, where he led their Music and Premium divisions, as well as Subscriptions and Commerce since 2016. Smith spent more than 20 years at Google and YouTube in executive roles across multiple departments. Prior to that, Smith worked at Random House/Bertelsmann.
“We could not be more thrilled to have Adam join the Disney team in this pivotal role,” Bergman, Walden and Pitaro said Thursday. “We’ve been aggressive in advancing our technological capabilities to better support our world-class media, streaming and advertising businesses, and Adam brings a bold, consumer-focused vision for the future and a proven ability to effectively lead global teams in implementing ambitious, scalable and flexible products and technology that will continue to elevate storytelling as the center of the Disney experience.”
Smith added: “Disney has built and nurtured an unparalleled portfolio of brands bringing joy and delight to fans of all ages, thanks to a culture of creativity that embraces innovation. I believe Disney is uniquely positioned to thrive in the next evolution of media and has made significant progress in a very short time while keeping storytelling front and center. I look forward to working closely with Alan, Dana and Jimmy and their top-notch teams and am excited to bring my expertise in utilizing technology to build compelling consumer experiences that will drive engagement and discovery among fans, families and friends.”