Tony Goncalves, newly installed at CEO of the AT&T/Chernin Group-owned Otter Media, has filled out his management team with four new appointments.
Andy Forssell, a former top Hulu exec who served as interim CEO, has been named Otter Media’s COO after previously serving as COO of Otter’s Fullscreen. The other exec hires are: Sean Kisker, a former Lionsgate exec, as chief strategy officer; Jennifer Cho, who joins from AT&T Entertainment Group as CFO; and Alan Beard, most recently chief marketing officer at Fullscreen, as chief brand officer.
AT&T and Chernin Group named Goncalves, previously head of AT&T’s digital brands group and a former DirecTV exec, as Otter Media’s CEO last week.
“Andy, Sean, Jennifer, and Alan are skilled executives with great instincts. They each bring a strong point of view, knowledge and vast experience,” Goncalves said in a statement. “This exceptional team will lay a solid foundation for us to continue to build and evolve Otter’s leadership in the digital media space.”
Forssell joins Otter from Fullscreen where he served as COO. At Fullscreen, he oversaw the company’s day-to-day operations and led technology and product development. He previously served as CEO of Showyou, a video aggregation service, and led Hulu’s content business, including its push into original programming. Forssell began his career as a cavalry officer in the U.S. Army.
Popular on Variety
Kisker has served as a personal adviser to founders and CEOs of leading early-stage technology and entertainment ventures. From 2003 to 2016, he held senior positions at Lionsgate Entertainment, most recently as chief strategy officer. Kisker received his BA in Russian studies from Dartmouth College.
Cho most recently she served as CFO of AT&T Entertainment Group’s Technology & Operations division, with responsibility for expense and capital management, financial analysis and execution against cost structure initiatives. She previously held senior leadership positions at DirecTV and Gap Inc. Cho holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Notre Dame.
Beard was co-founder of social-media creative agency McBeard, which Fullscreen acquired in May 2015. He earned a bachelor of arts degree in music and a master’s in public policy from Pepperdine University.
AT&T and Chernin Group formed Otter Media in 2014 to acquire, invest in and launch global over-the-top media services. The company’s portfolio includes Fullscreen, Rooster Teeth, Ellation (which manages Crunchyroll and VRV); and studio Gunpowder & Sky. Otter Media holds a minority stake in Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine shingle.
Pictured above (l. to r.): Andy Forssell, Sean Kisker, Jennifer Cho, Alan Beard
