Linda Jensen, CEO of HBO Europe, will depart the company at the end of the year. Hervé Payan, currently CEO of HBO Nordic, will become CEO of HBO Europe on 1 January, consolidating HBO Nordic, HBO Netherlands and HBO Europe under one organisation.
“When Linda informed us she would be leaving we took an assessment of our European operations and decided that to be most effective we should consolidate them under one venture. Linda was a significant, strategic voice in this reorganization and we thank her for that and all she has done,” said Bernadette Aulestia, EVP, global distribution operations. “Hervé has extensive experience, not only at HBO Nordic, but across Europe where he held a variety of senior positions. He is the perfect executive to lead this new structure into what will be a very exciting and dynamic future.”
Jensen spent eleven years at HBO, and had previously held roles as president of MTV Russia and director of development, Central European Media Enterprises.
“I leave the company in the hands of such a talented team and under this new structure they will take HBO to new heights,” said Jensen.
Before launching HBO Nordic in 2012, Payan held senior positions at leading television companies including Orange, Telepiu and Filmnet. He commented: “This reorganisation brings together a wealth of exceptional abilities and experience. The European television business is evolving quickly and we will be well positioned to take advantage of all opportunities that emerge.”.
The senior management team reporting directly to Payan are: Line Mykland, COO and EVP, Nordic; Ondrej Zach, COO and EVP, central Europe; Antony Root, EVP original programming and production, HBO Europe; Christina Sulebakk, EVP of marketing, HBO Europe; Gordon Finlayson, general counsel, HBO Europe; and Szilveszter Palvolgyi, CFO, HBO Europe.
HBO Europe provides HBO and Cinemax branded linear channels, HBO GO and HBO On Demand through operator partners in Poland, the Netherlands, Romania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Moldova, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In the Netherlands HBO Channels and HBO Go are provided by HBO Nederland, a joint venture between HBO Europe and Ziggo. HBO Nordic offers an SVoD service directly to consumers and through operator partners in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Denmark.
