Foxtel CEO, Peter Tonagh has announced Deanne Weir (pictured) will join Foxtel as executive director channel aggregation and wholesale, starting in June 2016.
Weir, who was for 10 years group director, corporate development at Austar, is currently chair of the boards of pre-eminent captioning business Ai-Media; Emmy and BAFTA award-winning production company Hoodlum and concert streaming business Moshcam. She was until recently deputy chair of Screen Australia, and is active in the not-for-profit space including as chair of the Australian Women Donors Network.
Tonagh said, “Deanne will play a key role in ensuring that we become the aggregator of choice bringing together great content from all possible sources and ensuring that we have the rights and ability to distribute it on the platforms and in the ways that consumers want to view it.
“Deanne will take the lead in working with our channel partners to ensure that great brands like Disney, BBC, Discovery, Fox, Turner, NBCU and Viacom continue to deliver world leading content to our subscribers. Deeper relationships with these extraordinary companies will enrich both Foxtel and their Australian operations. She will also work closely with our executive director of television Brian Walsh and his team to ensure that we continue to deliver our subscribers a better entertainment experience.
“In addition, Deanne will take a lead role in determining key elements of our distribution strategies via both Foxtel managed devices and through wholesale arrangements with other providers.
“Not only is Deanne highly experienced in the subscription television business, she has a real depth of knowledge of how content is made, funded and distributed.”
Brian Walsh said, “I am delighted Deanne is returning to the subscription television sector. This is a great coup for Foxtel. Deanne is a formidable television executive and one of the most respected in our industry.
“Content is at the heart of what Foxtel does and having the very best local and international programming is imperative to the future success of our company. Deanne’s experience will be invaluable,” he said.
Weir said, “I am really excited to be joining, Peter, Brian and the team, and to have the chance to work with the best entertainment brands on the planet. Foxtel has been connecting audiences to the best international and Australian content for over 20 years, and the story is about to get even better.”