OSN Names Martin Stewart as CEO

DUBAI: David Butorac, who has served as OSN’s CEO since 2010, is exiting the company, with Martin Stewart tapped to take over the post.

Stewart is currently CFO of The Football Association (The FA) in the U.K. He also previously served as director general of the Spanish broadband communication and entertainment company ONO and was CFO at Sky. Stewart will assume the CEO role at OSN as of August 1.

Butorac was instrumental in establishing OSN as the region’s leading pay-TV network. His credits include the launch of OSN Play, the region’s first digital platform; Go online TV; and OSN Store, the region’s first digital video store. Butorac also contributed to building OSN’s exclusive partnerships with leading global content providers and spearheaded the anti-piracy campaign led by OSN in the region.

Faisal Hamad Al Ayyar, the chairman of OSN, said: “I am delighted to welcome Martin Stewart, an experienced professional with exceptional leadership experience in driving the transformational growth of businesses. Mr. Stewart is not new to OSN, having been its non-executive director since 2015. His expertise in leading from the forefront of change will be a significant value-add for OSN as we mark a new chapter in our growth story.”

He added: “I thank David Butorac for driving the growth of OSN over the past six years. His strategic initiatives enabled OSN to take firm industry leadership and consolidate its market presence through compelling content and innovative tech platforms.”

Stewart said: “I am delighted to take charge as the chief executive officer of OSN. The business is well positioned to take advantage of new opportunities and I am confident that we have the team, network and resources to gain a stronger foothold across the region. The rise in digital content, smart TVs and smartphone penetration together with a youthful population affords an exciting opportunity for growth in the future.”