VIMN Appoints New Head of Youth & Music, Kids & Family Brands

Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) has hired German Groba to be its new senior VP of Youth & Music and Kids & Family brands for the company’s Southern and Western Europe, Middle East and Africa (SWEMEA) business cluster.

In his role at VIMN, Groba will be responsible for the management of the aforementioned brand portfolios—including MTV and Nickelodeon—across Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Benelux, GSA, Greece, Malta, Turkey, the Middle East and Africa. He will oversee programming strategy for linear and multiplatform formats, content acquisitions, localization and operations, talent and artist management, marketing and the creative side for the Youth & Music and Kids & Family brand portfolios. Groba will report to Raffaele Annecchino, president and managing director of VIMN SWEMEA.

Groba previously worked for seven and a half years at The Walt Disney Company as the programming content director for Disney Channels Latin America. Other prior roles include serving as the programming director for Latin America and Iberia at Claxson and VH1 Latin America’s director of programming for MTV Networks. Groba has also held positions at EMI Music and Warner Music.

Annecchino said: “I’m proud to announce German Groba has been appointed as our senior VP for the Youth & Music and Kids & Family brands. German has had a successful career that spans music and television, and has experience directing both youth and children’s entertainment. His background and international track record make him an excellent fit for the team and the perfect choice to lead these brands forward.”

Groba added: “I am excited for this new opportunity to join VIMN again. I was part of MTV Networks for a long period during my career, and I am delighted to be returning to Viacom and be given the responsibility to lead the strategy and the diverse and talented teams working on these great brand portfolios across the cluster.”