Daniel Alegre Named CEO of Spanish-Language Giant TelevisaUnivision

variety.com:

Brian Steinberg Senior TV Editor Daniel Alegre will take the reins of Spanish-language media giant TelevisaUnivision, putting an executive with strong operational experience in digital media at the helm of a company that seeks to make gains as its English-language competitors grapple with the rise of streaming.

Wade Davis, the former Viacom CFO who took over Univision in 2020 and then merged it with Mexico-based Grupo Televisa in 2022, will become the company’s vice chairman and continue as a member of the executive committee of the Board of Directors.

Davis remains one of the largest shareholders in the company. Alegre takes the reins on Thursday, September 19 “As we look to grow our unparalleled market position and the recent investments in our linear and streaming platforms as well as our news and sports products, Daniel is the right leader at the right time to take the helm,” said Alfonso de Angoitia, executive chairman of TelevisaUnivision, in a statement. “His unique global operational experience working in the U.S., Mexico and Latin America across technology, digital platforms and entertainment honed over three decades is exactly what TelevisaUnivision needs to drive our next phase.” The move was not telegraphed, but TelevisaUnivision said Alegre was named to the role “as part of the Board of Directors’ long-term succession planning process.” A report published earlier Wednesday in The New York Times suggested that the company had not lowered its debt significantly since the merger even as profits declined.

TelevisaUnivision may specialize in Spanish-language media, but it faces the same challenges as its English counterparts, namely how to monetize audiences for its content as they increasingly use streaming.