Johannes Larcher Named Head of HBO Max International

WarnerMedia has appointed Johannes Larcher, currently the managing director of digital at MBC Group, as head of HBO Max International, set to join the company in August.

Larcher will be responsible for the international rollout and management of WarnerMedia’s HBO Max direct-to-consumer product, which launched successfully in the U.S. on May 27. His initial focus will be the launch in Latin America, which is expected in 2021. He will report to Gerhard Zeiler, chief revenue officer at WarnerMedia and president of WarnerMedia International Networks.

During his time at the Dubai-based MBC Group, Larcher successfully transformed the group’s flagship digital product, Shahid VIP, into the world’s largest Arabic-language video streaming service. From 2016 to 2018, he was co-founder and CEO of SubVRsive, a virtual and augmented reality studio. From 2009 to 2013, he served Hulu as senior VP of international, where he led the launch and initial growth phase of Hulu Japan.

Zeiler said: “I got to know Johannes as a passionate entrepreneur. His leadership skills, together with his strong direct-to-consumer and digital experience, international business foundations and tech expertise give him the perfect background to drive the growth of HBO Max beyond the United States.”

Larcher added: “Living at the crossroads of digital technology and content, I’m thrilled to help create unforgettable entertainment experiences for consumers in international markets and make HBO Max an indispensable streaming service around the world.”