Univision Taps Donna Speciale As Ad Sales Chief

On the heels of new ownership, Univision, the major U.S. Hispanic media company, is making sweeping senior executive changes, including hiring Turner networks' advertising sales executive Donna Speciale.

Speciale will be president of advertising sales and marketing for the company.

In July 2019, WarnerMedia reorganized Turner TV ad-supported networks and many executive responsibilities, with Speciale departing. She had been with the company since February 2012.

Before joining Turner, she was president of investment and activation and agency operations for MediaVest Worldwide. Five other senior Univision executives have been named.

Former ViacomCBS executive Pierluigi Gazzolo is now in a newly created role of president and chief transformation officer of Univision Communications. Gazzolo had been president of streaming and studios for ViacomCBS Networks International, and COO of Viacom’s International business.

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Luis Silberwasser is also now in a newly created role, president of the Univision Television Networks Group, heading up Univision’s national TV properties. He had been president at Telemundo Networks and also had been chief content officer/executive vice president of Discovery Communications.

Friday Abernethy has been promoted to executive vice president of content distribution and partnerships. Previously, she was senior vice president of content distribution for Univision.

Adam Shippee has also been promote to a new position of executive vice president of corporate development, strategy and transformation. Shippee was the CFO of the Univision Networks and senior vice president of corporate strategy.

Univision will be looking for a permanent general counsel of the company -- with Amy Tenbrink and Glenn Dryfoos, elevated to co-interim general counsel for the media company.

Tenbrink will now have a dual role -- legal and business responsibilities -- as executive vice president/associate general counsel of revenue/business development. Dryfoos will be executive vice president of business affairs/general counsel Univision Networks for Univision Communications.

Jessica Rodriguez, CMO/president of entertainment, will continue to report to new Univision CEO Wade Davis.

In late December, two investment firms, Searchlight Capital Partners and ForgeLight, secured a majority stake in Univision -- with Wade Davis, a former Viacom CFO, assuming the CEO role of the Spanish-language media company. Davis is the CEO-founder of ForgeLight.

1 comment about "Univision Taps Donna Speciale As Ad Sales Chief".
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  1. Jack Wakshlag from Media Strategy, Research & Analytics, January 12, 2021 at 11:57 a.m.

    A brilliant and inspirational leader who knows the biz. Congrats. 

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