El Rey Network Appoints CEO

AUSTIN: Antoinette Alfonso Zel has been appointed the CEO of El Rey, a new cable network for young Hispanic Americans, due to launch at the end of 2013.

Zel has more than two decades of television, marketing and media experience. She previously served as CEO, president and partner at ad agency La Comunidad, and as executive VP of network strategy at Telemundo Network. Before that she spent over a dozen years working for MTV Networks, where she eventually held the title of president of MTV Networks Latin America.

"We are very excited to bring Antoinette on board as El Rey’s CEO," remarked Robert Rodriguez, the company’s founder. "Antoinette’s remarkable track record in network management and her passion for youth culture and creative vision uniquely positions her to lead El Rey as it creates compelling images and inspiring stories that speak to America’s young Latino and mainstream audiences."
 
"I am deeply honored to join El Rey, an independent network that will embrace a critical audience of young Americans, who will for the first time be part of a major brand and social entertainment network made for them and by them," added Zel. "There is no individual out there today who can create a brand like this with as much credibility and authenticity as Robert, and I’m privileged to be partnering with him, FactoryMade and the El Rey team to make a network come to life in a way that has never been done before."

Additionally, El Rey has announced that Dave Cassaro will head the company’s launch team. Cassaro is a former president of cable advertising sales at NBC Universal.

"I am thrilled to join the El Rey team," said Cassaro. "Having worked with marketing executives across a spectrum of consumer product categories, El Rey represents an invaluable opportunity to create unique advertising solutions that will reach two critical audience demographics: The coveted 18 to 34 year old adult and the Latino viewer."

Cristina Patwa, the president of FactoryMade Ventures, commented: "The powerful combination of Robert developing ground-breaking content for a loyal audience, Antoinette successfully operating an infrastructure for her fifth entrepreneurial effort, and Dave delivering multiplatform solutions for our partners will elevate and differentiate El Rey’s offering in the media landscape."