MUMBAI: Joel Whitten “Whit” Richardson III has been promoted to President, Turner Latin America. The announcement was made by Turner International president Gerhard Zeiler. A 23-year veteran of the company, Richardson most recently held the position of executive vice president of distribution, Turner Latin America.
In his new position, he will report to Zeiler.
Richardson has executive oversight of Turner’s regional portfolio of general entertainment, kids, sports and free-to-air brands; distribution and ad sales of those brands; the distribution of CNN’s services; and licensing and merchandising activity in Latin America.
Turner Latin America is Turner’s largest international division. Turner Latin America’s portfolio was once again the highest rated (#1) pay TV offering in Latin America in 2016* and includes an unmatched array of demographics and genres.
“Whit is a highly respected executive inside and outside Turner. I am delighted that he accepted the offer to become the next President of Turner Latin America. The company will benefit from his leadership skills and wealth of experience, especially as we navigate through a dramatically evolving media-business future demanding dynamic change,” said Zeiler.
He added: “His enduring successes in affiliate sales and marketing, in establishing our Argentina hub as a nationally-respected employer, his sharp mind, strategic approach and process-orientated management, make him the ideal choice to lead our business in Latin America; he has a clear vision of how we adapt the organization to truly become a next generation media provider.”
“I am excited for the opportunity to lead Turner Latin America, and grateful for the confidence of Gerhard and Turner’s executive management,” said Richardson. “The industry is in a time of rapid change, and Turner is uniquely qualified to lead the transformation of the media business in Latin America. We will prioritize collaboration, innovation and change as we move aggressively to position for continued growth and success.”
As executive VP of distribution, Richardson oversaw Turner Latin America’s pan-regional affiliate sales team, which is responsible for the company’s largest portfolio of networks in any region in the world. He relocated to Atlanta in 2014 from Buenos Aires, Argentina, where he served as General Manager of Turner Argentina in addition to his distribution responsibilities. As Argentina GM, Richardson was at the forefront of the company’s local expansion from 15 employees in 1998 to approximately 750 today.
