Discovery has appointed Susanna Dinnage as the first global president for Animal Planet (DStv 183) as the American part of Animal Planet is being absorbed into the global Animal Planet management as part of a reorganisation.
Susanna Dinnage based in London in the United Kingdom will now report to David Zaslav, Discovery CEO and Discovery Networks International chief executive and president Jean-Briac Perrette.
It means that Animal Planet will now be run globally from London.
Susanna Dinnage has been the president of Discovery UK and Ireland as well as the chief content officer for Discovery Networks International.
Running Animal Planet globally, Susanna Dinnage will be in charge of developing and commissioning animal programming.
"The animal kingdom and natural world give us all such joy and, in times of uncertainty, there is no better antidote than to spend more time immersed in the wonders of the world around us," says Susanna Dinnage in a statement.
"I look forward to bringing new talent and more adventure and reflecting the worldwide love of animals to every screen on Animal Planet. With a team based in London and New York, this is a great opportunity to work with a wide range of production companies across the world."
"As Discovery continues to strategically pivot and deliver our content to consumers across all screens and services, it is more important than ever that our brands are structured and managed in a way that best exploits their global potential," says David Zaslav.
"We are confident that this new global model, combined with Susanna's expert leadership and the worldwide appeal of our animal content, will maximize Animal Planet's power across linear channels and create new digital opportunities around the world."
Jean-Briac Perrette says "Susanna's creative prowess, commercial expertise and deep understanding of consumer viewing preferences across diverse markets has driven success for Discovery's international business for many years. This new structure will expand Animal Planet's strong heritage and affinity among passionate superfans across the globe".
