Animal Planet has promoted Charlie Foley to senior VP of
development where he'll lead an expanded team with the hire of new VPs Kurt
Tondorf and Andy Berg, the network announced Thursday.
Foley will continue to report to Animal Planet president/GM
Marjorie Kaplan and Tondorf and Berg will report to Foley. The trio will
oversee the conceptualization and creation of series, stunts, special and other
programming initiatives for the Discovery Communications-owned network.
"Charlie's bold thinking and creative ambition have been key
to Animal Planet's transformation," Kaplan said in a statement. "Series he
developed – like River Monsters and Whale Wars – are some of the
biggest and most dramatic successes of our rebrand and have helped reimagine
and redefine the brand for audiences and for the creative community."
Tondorf joins Animal Planet from Optomen Productions where
he was VP of development and Berg joins from A&E/Bio where he spent seven
years as senior director of nonfiction and alternative programming. Foley
rejoined Animal Planet in 2007 after several years in independent production;
prior to that he worked at TLC and Animal Planet as executive producer and
director of development.
