BREAKING. Discovery announces new leadership team for Africa; will 'continue expansion of Discovery in South Africa'.

Discovery Networks International just announced a new leadership team for Discovery Networks looking after Africa, saying that Discovery will continue to focus on the expansion of the Discovery brand in South Africa as well as on the continent.

Discovery currently runs several TV channels on both MultiChoice's DStv (Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, Discovery HD Showcase, Discovery World) as well as On Digital Media's (ODM) TopTV (ID: Investigation Discovery, Discovery Science, Discovery Travel & Living). The leadership change comes after changes to the structure of Discovery's European operations.

Discovery's business in its emerging markets, part of Discovery Networks' Central and Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa or so-called CEEMEA region, will now be led by Phillip Luff, who has been appointed as vice president, country manager for emerging business.

Phillip Luff's new regional management team for emerging business will include Dilek Doyan, distribution director and Lee Hobbs as channel director. Phillip Luff reports to Kasia Kieli  as executive vice president and managing director for CEEMEA and is part of Kasia Kieli's senior management team which also includes Caleb Weinstein as senior vice president, general manager EMEA distribution and Paul Welling, senior vice president, head of channels.

''The recent merger of our Central European and Emerging Markets' operations into the new Discovery Networks CEEMEA business has called for the creation of the Emerging Business regional management team focusing on businesses in Africa, Middle East, Turkey, Mediterranean and Central Asia,'' says Phillip Luff. ''I'm both excited at this new opportunity and confident that we will continue to focus on the expansion of Discovery in South Africa and across the African continent through broader distribution with a view to creating greater local relevance for our valued viewers and partners.''

''The creation of the new regional management team will ensure that we work closer with distribution partners to develop a local approach which is in tune with the needs of our audiences and clients across the region,'' says Dilek Doyran.

''Our mission is to deliver content to our viewers and partners that is compelling, intriguing and locally relevant. We will continue to focus on delivering this and building our audience in the region with breakthrough programming and marketing initiatives,'' says Lee Hobbs.