Corporate
November 2, 2009
Josh Berger Appointed President & Managing Director, Spain - Will Continue Role As President & Managing Director, UK And Ireland
(November 2, 2009 - Madrid, London and Burbank CA) - Josh Berger will assume the position of President and Managing Director, Warner Bros. Entertainment Spain with effect from 1st December 2009, it was announced today by Barry Meyer, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer; Alan Horn, President & Chief Operating Officer; and Richard Fox, Executive Vice President, International, Warner Bros.
In this newly expanded role, Berger will combine the management of all of Warner Bros. Entertainment’s business activities in Spain with his existing responsibilities as President & Managing Director, UK and Ireland, a role he has held since 2002.
Berger, who reports through Fox to Meyer and Horn, will work closely with the local executives of the various Warner Bros. business units in Spain – Warner Bros. Pictures International, Warner Home Video, Warner Bros. Digital Distribution, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Warner Bros. International Television Distribution and Warner Bros. Consumer Products – to develop a growth plan for the market, identifying areas for driving revenues and profits, leveraging operational efficiencies and maximising cross-divisional, cross-company and third party opportunities.
No stranger to Spain, Berger, a 20 year Warner Bros. veteran, and fluent Spanish-speaker, was Managing Director for Warner Bros. International Television Distribution in Spain and Portugal in the mid ‘90s. During his five year tenure, he spearheaded innovative and landmark deals with Spanish media giants Sogecable and Radio Television Española, among others.
“Josh is particularly well placed to take on this new role,” said Meyer. “He established the country management role seven years ago with such success that we now have a Country Manager in six major international territories. This expanded position is recognition of his achievements in the UK and his in-depth knowledge and experience of the enormously important Spanish market.”
“We already have a highly talented and experienced team of senior executives in Spain and, with Josh coming on board, I’m convinced they will reach even greater heights,” added Horn.
“Josh’s promotion is richly deserved. He has and will continue to lead the UK team with panache and aplomb and I have no doubt he will make a success of this exciting new role,” said Fox.
Berger added, “I’m honoured to be tasked with leading our operations in Spain as well as those in the UK and Ireland. It’s a thrilling prospect to return to a country I love and work with a talented team of local executives in such a hugely exciting market. I can’t wait to get started.”
Among many board appointments, Berger is a director of the UK Film Council, climate change action organisation, The Climate Group; leading Warner Bros. owned games publisher & developer, TT Games; and Filmbank, the joint venture company owned by Warner Bros. Entertainment and Sony Pictures Releasing.
He is also a life member of the Council on Foreign Relations, BAFTA, the British Screen Advisory Council (BSAC), the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO); and an associate to the International Council of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS).
Berger graduated with honours in General Studies from Harvard University and also completed the Advanced Management Programme at Harvard Business School. He has lived in the US, the UK, Spain, France and Italy, and in addition to Spanish speaks English, French, Italian and Portuguese fluently. # # #