Zaslav’s Master Plan Unfolds: Warner Bros. Discovery Splits in Two (Scoop Confirmed)

by

As predicted by my sources at Comic-Con long ago, it has now been officially confirmed that David Zaslav has divided Warner Bros. Discovery into two separate entities – “Warner Bros.” and “Discovery Global.

Initially, my confidants informed me that Zaslav’s strategy involved potentially offloading Warner Bros. Discovery. His hope was for the company to be acquired by Comcast/Universal. Simultaneously, he aimed to separate Discovery, maintaining personal control over it.

On Monday, Warner Bros. Discovery made an announcement through a press release. According to this announcement, when the company splits in 2026, the “Streaming & Studios” segment will form part of the WB division, while everything outside of this will be known as “Discovery Global.

According to the information I’ve received, if current plans proceed, it is likely that a larger corporation will acquire Warner Bros., while Zaslav remains with Discovery Global.

According to the information given, it seems that Zaslav’s current strategy is a continuation of plans he had since the merger of Discovery and Warner Bros., initially took place.

It’s all been unfolding exactly as my insiders have said.

Official press release from WBD:

“Streaming & Studios” Company will be Warner Bros.; “Global Networks” Company will be Discovery Global

Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ: WBD) revealed the new names and executive appointments for each division as they prepare to split by mid-2026. One of these divisions, which encompasses Warner Bros. Television, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, DC Studios, HBO, HBO Max, and Warner Bros. Gaming Studios, along with their timeless film and television libraries, will be known as simply Warner Bros., a tribute to over a century of groundbreaking storytelling. The other division, which houses worldwide premium entertainment, sports, and news television brands like CNN, U.S. TNT Sports, Discovery, and popular free-to-air European channels, digital products such as Discovery+ streaming service and Bleacher Report (B/R), will be called Discovery Global, acknowledging the international recognition and value of this name in entertainment, news, and sports. The content provided by Discovery Global reaches 1.1 billion unique viewers in 68 languages across 200 countries and territories.

The leadership group within Warner Bros comprises David Zaslav, presently holding the positions of President and CEO at Warner Bros. Discovery. In his role, he will oversee both titles. Additionally, there are:

  • Pam Abdy, Co-Chair and CEO Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group
  • Priya Aiyar, Chief Legal Officer
  • Casey Bloys, Chairman and CEO, HBO and HBO Max
  • Bruce Campbell, Chief Operating Officer
  • Mike De Luca, Co-Chair & CEO, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group
  • Channing Dungey, Chairman & CEO, Warner Bros. TV Group
  • Robert Gibbs, Chief Communications & Public Affairs Officer
  • James Gunn, Co-Chairman and CEO, DC Studios
  • Lori Locke, Chief Accounting Officer (reporting to the Chief Financial Officer)
  • JB Perrette, CEO & President of Streaming and Games
  • Peter Safran, Co-Chairman and CEO, DC Studios
  • Avi Saxena, Chief Technology Officer (reporting to Perrette)

Zaslav stated that they will honorably carry forward Warner Bros.’ over-a-century-old tradition by delivering culture-shaping stories, characters, and entertainment globally. Over the recent years, we’ve made significant progress in various aspects, establishing a profitable global streaming service, and revitalizing our studios to regain a leading position in the industry. With our vast collection of storytelling intellectual properties, talented creative partners, and now a management team known for their courage, commitment, and success, we are well-positioned to establish and expand a company that reflects our esteemed history.

The executive group overseeing Discovery Global features Gunnar Wiedenfels, presently the Chief Financial Officer at Warner Bros. Discovery, who will assume the roles of President and Chief Executive Officer, alongside:

  • David Duvall, Chief Technology Officer
  • Amy Girdwood, Chief People & Culture Officer
  • Ryan Gould, President, US Ad Sales GTM (reporting to Zeiler)
  • Anil Jhingan, Chief Development Officer
  • Kasia Kieli, President and MD, Poland and CEO, TVN
  • Fernando Medin, President, International
  • Scott Miller, President, Distribution (reporting to Zeiler)
  • Fulvia Nicoli, Executive Vice President, Content Strategy & Insights (reporting to Zeiler)
  • Brian Rauch, Chief Accounting Officer (reporting to Woodford)
  • Luis Silberwasser, Chairman and CEO, TNT Sports
  • Mark Thompson, Chairman and CEO, CNN Worldwide
  • Sue Underwald, Chief Legal Officer
  • Bobby Voltaggio, President, US Ad Sales Platform Monetization (reporting to Zeiler)
  • Fraser Woodford, Chief Financial Officer
  • Gerhard Zeiler, President, US, UK & Germany, Discovery+ and Chief Content Officer

Wiedenfels stated: “In anticipation of Discovery Global’s debut, our excitement about the prospects before us expands. This is due to our powerful collection of cherished brands and programming, our global reach catering to adults, children, and families, and now with the addition of a seasoned and gifted leadership team who will guarantee effective operations and make strategic investments, resulting in captivating content for international viewers.

Warner Bros. is currently seeking candidates for the positions of Chief Financial Officer and Chief People & Culture Officer, whereas Discovery Global is on the hunt for a Chief Communications & Public Affairs Officer.

Biographies of Select Discovery Global Executives:

  • Anil Jhingan (Chief Development Officer) – Mr. Jhingan is currently Chief Development Officer, International for WBD, leading strategic growth and expansion opportunities across Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, the Pacific and Latin America. He joined Discovery in 2019 as EVP Corporate Development, EMEA & APAC, and has over 25 years of media, entertainment and sports experience.
  • Kasia Kieli (President and MD, Poland and CEO, TVN) – Ms. Kieli currently serves as President & MD of Warner Bros. Discovery in Poland and CEO of TVN, which holds a leading position in the Polish media market, regularly reaching nearly 17 million viewers daily, and garnering a monthly audience of over 30 million. Earlier, she was Discovery’s President & Managing Director of EMEA, where she oversaw business development in 140 markets.
  • Fernando Medin (President, International) – Mr. Medin currently serves as President and Managing Director of Warner Bros. Discovery Latin America and U.S. Hispanic, a division of WBD. He has spent 23 years in senior roles at the company. Earlier, Mr. Medin worked at the law firm Vinson & Elkins where he focused on mergers and acquisitions in the media space.
  • Sue Underwald (Chief Legal Officer) – Ms. Underwald currently serves as WBD’s Executive Vice President of Legal for Streaming, Games, Technology, Privacy and Business Operations, where she leads a global legal team. Earlier, she was a Partner at Dow Lohnes, PLLC, in Washington, D.C., in the firm’s Media & Information Technologies Practice where she represented major entertainment and media companies in a wide range of corporate transactions.
  • Fraser Woodford (Chief Financial Officer) – Mr. Woodford currently serves as WBD’s Executive Vice President of Treasury, Investments, and Real Estate, where he oversees the global treasury function including treasury operations, capital structure and financing, financial risk management, global liquidity, and free cash flow optimization. Previously, he spent a decade in Investment Banking.

Read More

2025-07-29 09:32