Disney Names Adam Smith Chief Product & Technology Officer for Disney Entertainment & ESPN

Adam Smith (Photo Credit Kim Reierson)

BURBANK, Calif., August 16, 2024 (ENTERTAINMENT INTERVIEWS) – Adam Smith has been appointed Chief Product & Technology Officer for Disney Entertainment and ESPN, according to an announcement made by Disney Entertainment Co-Chairmen Alan Bergman and Dana Walden, along with ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro.

In his new role, Smith will oversee the global Product and Technology group, which spans Disney’s entertainment and sports media businesses. He will be responsible for the technology strategy, development, and deployment across the company’s streaming platforms, networks, consumer digital touchpoints, proprietary advertising technology, and emerging technologies. Smith’s responsibilities will include leading a global team of technologists, including engineers, product managers, designers, data scientists, and technical operations teams.

Smith will officially join Disney on September 3 and will report jointly to Bergman, Walden, and Pitaro. The three chairmen expressed their enthusiasm in a joint statement, saying, “We could not be more thrilled to have Adam join the Disney team in this pivotal role. We’ve been aggressive in advancing our technological capabilities to better support our world-class media, streaming, and advertising businesses, and Adam brings a bold, consumer-focused vision for the future and a proven ability to effectively lead global teams in implementing ambitious, scalable and flexible products and technology that will continue to elevate storytelling as the center of the Disney experience.”

Smith also shared his excitement about joining Disney, stating, “Disney has built and nurtured an unparalleled portfolio of brands bringing joy and delight to fans of all ages, thanks to a culture of creativity that embraces innovation. I believe Disney is uniquely positioned to thrive in the next evolution of media and has made significant progress in a very short time while keeping storytelling front and center.”

Before joining Disney, Smith served as Vice President of Product Management at YouTube, where he led Music and Premium services, as well as Subscriptions and Commerce, since 2016. His career at Google and YouTube spans over 20 years, where he held various executive roles, including leading key consumer-facing products and global content strategies. Smith’s extensive experience also includes roles at Random House/Bertelsmann. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of California, Berkeley, and an MBA from Stanford University.

Source: The Walt Disney Company