Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) has poached a top executive from public service broadcaster ITV as the company readies the debut of its flagship streaming service in the United Kingdom.
Sasha Breslau is joining WBD as its Vice President of Content Acquisitions in October, where she will oversee sourcing, rights negotiations and pre-buy opportunities while also contributing to strategic programming decisions in the United Kingdom.
In a statement released this week, WBD called the U.K. “one of [our] most-important international markets.” WBD operates numerous linear TV networks in the country, including TNT Sports (formerly BT Sport), CNN International, DMAX and Quest, along with regional variants of Animal Planet, the Discovery Channel, Food Network, HGTV, Cartoon Network, Boomerang and TLC.
Most of WBD’s streaming efforts have been concentrated within Discovery Plus, an app that includes live access to some of its cable networks and live sports from TNT Sports and Eurosport. HBO content is licensed to Comcast’s Sky Group, where it airs on Sky Atlantic and streams on related services.
WBD has expressed a strong interest in launching its flagship HBO Max app in the country, but has delayed the rollout of the app due to its agreements with Comcast, which expires at the end of the year.
Breslau is an accomplished executive that achieved numerous milestones during her time at ITV: She oversaw programming-related agreements for the broadcaster’s streaming platform ITVX and was instrumental in acquiring the broadcast and streaming rights to “Oprah with Meghan and Harry,” which drew ITV’s highest ratings since the 2018 FIFA Men’s World Cup soccer tournament.
The opportunity to work with WBD on the rollout of HBO Max was too good to pass up.
“HBO’s unparalleled series influenced my early decision to embark on a career in television, so the opportunity to join HBO Max as it launches here is irresistible,” Breslau said in a statement.
Breslau will report to Ragnhild Thorbech, the Senior Vice President of Programming and Acquisitions within WBD’s European, Middle Eastern and African businesses.
“I’m thrilled to be working alongside Ragnhild and her talented team, and I look forward to collaborating with new and established partners to build on HBO Max’s streaming success,” Breslau continued.
ITV is already searching for Breslau’s successor.
