Disney|ABC Expands Executive Team

BURBANK: Disney|ABC Television Group has hired two executives in newly created roles.

Cindy Davis is joining the company as executive VP of consumer experience, while John Frelinghuysen joins as executive VP of digital media, strategy and business development. They will report to Ben Sherwood, the co-chairman of Disney Media Networks and the president of Disney|ABC Television Group.

In her new role, Davis will be responsible for improving existing research capabilities across multiple platforms and enhancing the company’s consumer insights and analytic capabilities to support its business strategies. She will also be charged with developing an overall consumer experience strategy that will provide greater personalization and product opportunities across platforms, enhance the MVPD ecosystem, support marketing efforts and identify advertising and other revenue opportunities. In addition, Davis will help define the company’s shift to a business model more centered on programming services and consumers. 

Meanwhile, Frelinghuysen will oversee all aspects of strategy and business development across Disney|ABC Television’s portfolio of content and brands for digital content, products and technology as well as all mobile platform efforts. He is responsible for defining and executing plans to effectively monetize both new and existing short-form and long-form content and distribution across multiple screens and platforms. He will also work closely with business unit presidents to enable the implementation of their initiatives.   

Sherwood stated: “These two dynamic new leaders bring considerable talent and experience to Disney|ABC that will help drive our business forward and position us for even greater success. I’ve asked Cindy to significantly expand our capability to understand our audience and help us use these new insights to improve the consumer experience on all platforms. John’s mission is to define and execute plans to monetize both new and existing content, as well as to harness the power of the collective Disney|ABC portfolio into a more unified and holistic consumer experience. We have an incredible team here at Disney|ABC, made up of some of the best and brightest in the industry. I’m delighted Cindy and John are joining us, and am confident that they will help lead us to even greater heights.”

Davis said, “I can’t imagine a better company to be joining than Disney|ABC Television or a better time to be joining this team. Combining a deeper understanding of today’s viewers with its legacy of brilliant storytelling, Disney|ABC is poised to further engage consumers with the entertainment and news they want, when and where they want to enjoy it. I look forward to helping champion the consumers’ voice within Disney|ABC in a way that drives innovation for viewers and value for the business, our distribution partners and our shareholders.”

Frelinghuysen added, “I am thrilled to be joining the Disney|ABC team. There is an unprecedented opportunity for creating new content experiences and driving revenue growth in digital video. Disney|ABC's global brands and content assets provide an outstanding platform for innovation and realizing the digital opportunity.”