HBO Announces New CEO and Senior Leadership Structure

NEW YORK, June 5: Bill Nelson has been named the chairman and CEO of Home Box Office. He was previously the company’s COO. HBO also announced a new senior leadership structure and has promoted three veteran HBO executives—Harold Akselrad, Eric Kessler and Richard Plepler—to the newly created positions of HBO co-presidents, reporting to Nelson.

Under the new structure, Akselrad will manage legal and business affairs, film acquisition and HBO’s technology groups, as well as continue to serve as HBO’s General Counsel; Kessler will oversee the marketing and worldwide distribution of HBO networks and content; and Plepler will have responsibility for HBO’s programming and corporate communications.

These announcements were made today by Time Warner’s chairman and CEO Dick Parsons and president and COO Jeff Bewkes.

“Bill Nelson is a superb executive with outstanding leadership skills, expertise and experience,” says Parsons. “Jeff Bewkes and I are very pleased that Bill, along with his extraordinary management team, will be leading HBO into the future. Today’s appointments highlight the depth and strength of HBO’s senior leadership. Each of these executives has been instrumental in HBO’s success over the past 15 years. We’re confident that, under their guidance, HBO’s edge will get even sharper, fresher and more pronounced.”

Bewkes adds: “I’ve worked with Bill, Hal, Eric and Richard for many years, and there’s not a more skilled, cohesive or widely respected group of executives in the entertainment industry. They’ve helped build HBO into one of the world’s most inventive and intelligent television companies. I’m looking forward to working with them to ensure that HBO continues to produce the kind of groundbreaking and award-winning entertainment that has become its hallmark.”

And Nelson comments on his promotion, “I’m excited by the opportunity to work with Dick, Jeff and my talented colleagues to carry on the vision that has fueled HBO’s success. That means continuing to develop a fertile, creative environment that generates the highest quality and most original entertainment, with a style and sensibility that is uniquely HBO’s. At the same time, digital technologies present endless opportunities for us to deliver HBO programming to new audiences around the world.”

Bill Nelson has been HBO’s COO since 2002, responsible for overseeing domestic and international marketing and affiliate relations for the HBO and Cinemax networks; global home video distribution, content and licensing; film acquisitions; finance; legal; and human resources.

Nelson joined HBO in May 1984 as VP and assistant controller, responsible for overseeing the financial aspects of HBO’s general management and international finance groups, with the areas of sales and marketing added in February 1985. In July 1985, he was named VP and controller, accountable for all financial reporting and control activities at HBO, and was promoted to senior VP and chief financial officer in September 1991. In April 1994, he was made executive VP, adding the areas of information technology, business affairs and technology operations to his responsibilities in February 2000. In March 2006, Mr. Nelson’s responsibilities as COO were extended to include home video and international distribution and Hollywood studio film acquisitions.

Harold Akselrad was previously general counsel and executive VP for legal, business affairs & film programming for Home Box Office, responsible for all legal aspects of HBO’s operations, including the business affairs, production and administration of HBO’s entire programming operation. He was named to this position in October 2002. Recently, he was given responsibility over the film programming area, which handles film acquisitions and negotiations of theatrical studio output deals for the network.

Akselrad joined HBO in June 1983 as associate counsel, litigation. He was promoted to counsel, litigation in September 1984 and became chief counsel, litigation one year later. In May 1986, he was named VP and chief counsel, litigation. He became senior VP of business affairs in March 1989 and was made executive VP of business affairs in April 1999.

Eric Kessler was previously president of sales and marketing for HBO, responsible for marketing and affiliate sales of the HBO and Cinemax pay television brands. In this position, he also oversaw the development and worldwide distribution of new media platforms including video on demand and HBO Mobile. He was named to this position in January 2003.

Kessler joined HBO in July 1986 as a marketing manager in the home video division. From 1989 to 1995, he served as president of the division. In March 1995, Kessler moved over to the pay television network where he was named the senior VP of marketing for HBO. In this role, he was responsible for the advertising, on-air promotion, creative services, acquisition marketing, and website activity for the network. In April 1999 he was named executive vice president.

Richard Plepler was previously the executive VP of HBO, and an integral part of the company’s senior management team. In this position, Plepler was involved with all creative aspects of the company, including serving as a member of HBO’s program planning committee. He was named to this position in July 2002. Plepler joined HBO in 1992 as senior VP of corporate communications, and was named executive VP of corporate communications, in 1997.