Disney Hires YouTube Veteran Adam Smith In Key Tech Role for Entertainment and ESPN – IMDb

Smith, who starts next month, will oversee the technology development and deployment in streaming, networks, advertising, production technologies and other digital touchpoints across Disney Entertainment and ESPN.

He will jointly report to Disney Entertainment co-chairs Dana Walden and Alan Bergman, as well as ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro.

Smith as a 20-year veteran of Google and its YouTube subsidiary, most recently serving as VP of product management for YouTube, where he oversaw the video platform’s YouTube Music, YouTube Premium, subscription and commerce offerings.

The Disney job is a critical one for the company, which is seeking to establish itself as a leader in streaming. Disney CEO Bob Iger has said publicly that the company needs to enhance its technology…