Career Moves: February 5, 2007

Authored by dmw on February 5, 2007 - 2:09pm.

Career Moves is made possible by @HIRE.
Discovery Communications’ new CEO David Zaslav today announced that five senior executives are leaving the media firm as part of a major corporate overhaul. The executives leaving the firm include: Billy Campbell, President of Discovery's U.S. Networks (position to be eliminated); David Abraham, head of the TLC channel; Maureen Smith, head of Animal Planet; Dawn McCall, head of Discovery's international operations, and human resources chief Pandit Wright.

The company said it was looking for a replacement for Abraham as head of TLC. Smith's responsibilities at Animal Planet are being assumed by another executive, Marjorie Kaplan, who also will oversee Discovery Kids Media. Additionaly Zaslav named Greg Ricca, a former COO at MTV International, to take over Discovery's international operations, and Adria Alpert-Romm to lead human resources.
www.discovery.com

According to the Los Angeles Times, it is imminent that Jeff Zucker will be named Chief of NBC Universal this week, replacing Bob Wright. The announcement could come as early as tomorrow, with the transition expected to take months. Wright has run the media conglomerate since General Electric bought the NBC broadcast network in 1986.
www.nbcuni.com

Reid Hoffman, founder of business-networking site LinkedIn, said on Sunday that he is turning over the role of Chief Executive to Dan Nye, who previously was an Executive Vice President at Advent Software, a maker of investment management software. Prior to Advent, Nye had served as Vice President and General Manager of the small business division of Intuit and as a brand product manager at Procter & Gamble. Hoffman will remain as Chairman of the Palo Alto, Calif.-based company and take on the additional title of President of Products.
www.linkedin.com

The Game Audio Network Guild (G.A.N.G.), a non-profit organization established to promote excellence in interactive audio, today announced changes to its management team and Board of Directors. Paul Lipson, who has served as the Guild’s Senior Director for the past two years, has been elected to serve as President of the Guild. G.A.N.G. Founder Tommy Tallarico will assume the new post of CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors, while Jack Wall will step down as Vice President and remain as an active member of the Board of Directors.
www.audiogang.org

Navarre Corporation, a publisher and distributor of physical and digital home entertainment and multimedia products, today announced that it has appointed Jill Griffin as President of its wholly owned subsidiary Encore, effective immediately. Griffin has been a member of the Encore management team for over 9 years holding various positions in sales, marketing and new business development. In Griffin's most recent position, she served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing. Mike Bell has left the company to pursue other interests.
www.navarre.com

Lightspeed Audio Labs, a developer of real-time, web-based music collaboration technology, today announced two additions to its Board of Advisors – Sarah Frank and Sandy Smallens. Frank and Smallens, along with the other board members, will be actively involved in providing strategic guidance as the company launches its technology platform that will allow musical enthusiasts to create and listen to digital-quality audio over the Internet in real-time.

Frank currently serves on the supervisory board of Vivendi. From 1990 to 1997, Frank was President and CEO of BBC Worldwide Americas, the British Broadcasting Corporation’s commercial subsidiary in North and South America. Smallens currently serves as the Senior Vice President, Digital for Entercom Communications, one of the nation’s largest radio broadcasters. Prior to Entercom, Mr. Smallens held the role of Vice President, Interactive Marketing and Sales for CBS Radio, and served as President and Chief Operating Officer for Oddcast, a media technology company.
www.lightspeedaudiolabs.com.

Career Moves is made possible by @HIRE.