Adam Smith Named Chairman of Direct-to-Consumer Disney Entertainment, Joe Earley Moved to New Position

In the addition to the creation of the new Chief Technology Officer position for Karandeep Anand, there were other shakeups among the executives at The Walt Disney Company this week: Adam Smith and Joe Earley have both earned different roles at the company after years of service.

What's happening:

• Adam Smith has been named Chairman of Direct-to-Consumer for Disney Entertainment.
• Joe Earley, the former Co-President of Disney Entertainment's DTC department, will assume the newly created role of President, Disney Entertainment Television Franchise and Content Strategy.
• In his new role, Smith will oversee Disney+ and Hulu, including "product, engineering, advertising technology, programming strategy, viewer experience, partnerships, and data & analytics," according to Disney's official statement. He will be responsible for the company's "global entertainment SVOD business, driving strategy, development, and continued innovation across the company’s streaming platforms, proprietary advertising technology, emerging technologies and more."
• Meanwhile, Earley will oversee all content and production for "international originals, production, labor relations and creative talent development, [leading] the strategic development of Disney Entertainment Television franchises, maximizing their value and creating new opportunities to engage audiences and drive the business forward."

What they're saying:

• The Walt Disney Company President & Chief Creative Officer Dana Walden: "Over the past two years, Adam has done an exceptional job building a world-class team of product and technology leaders and has significantly enhanced the Disney+ user experience globally. Alan Bergman and I are pleased to recognize the tremendous impact he has had on our direct-to-consumer business since he joined Disney, and we are confident that he is the right leader to meet the critical moment we’re in and take us to the next level."
• Adam Smith: "Disney has the best storytellers and the most passionate fandom in the world, and I couldn’t be prouder of what this team has built together. We’ve established real momentum, and our vision ahead is clear: make Disney+ the connection point for fans everywhere to engage with the full breadth and depth of the broader Disney ecosystem. I’m grateful for this team, energized by what’s ahead, and excited for our next chapter."
• Walden: "Joe [Earley] has been an exceptional leader for our direct-to-consumer business over the past four years, and I am deeply grateful for his partnership and meaningful contributions. He is a talented executive with a rare combination of business acumen and creative instincts, and Debra OConnell and I could not be more excited to welcome him to the leadership team at Disney Entertainment Television."

More news from the business side of The Walt Disney Company:

• Read our news post from this morning about the company's new Chief Technology Officer.
• Disney's embrace of YouTube creators was on full display during night 1 of Created in LA.
• Eric Schrier has stepped down from his executive role to launch his own producing deal.