New president Rich Ross continues to reshape Discovery Channel’s leadership, announcing Tuesday the hire of Paul Pastor as executive VP of network strategy, revenue and operations. A former Disney executive, Pastor will oversee business strategy for Discovery Channel and liaise with the ad sales, finance, distribution and digital departments, as well as Discovery Channel International. He will report to Ross.
“I am thrilled to have Paul joining the Discovery team,” Ross said. “His knowledge of the television industry, combined with his expertise in digital distribution and international markets will benefit the network as a whole—and more importantly, our partners—particularly as the business continues to evolve and offer more options.”
Pastor previously served as senior VP, strategy and consumer analytics for the Disney/ABC Television Group. There he oversaw strategy, consumer data and analytics and media planning. He also led research at ABC Television Network, ABC Studios, ABC Family and Disney/ABC Domestic Television.
Ross has been active in making new hires and reorganizing staff since officially coming aboard as Discover Channel president in January. In the past two weeks he has hired producer John Goldwyn to assist with an expansion into scripted programming and John Hoffman to serve as executive VP of documentaries and specials, and announced the formation of a New York production unit to be headed by executives Matthew Kelly and Michael Sorensen, both previously based in Silver Spring, Md.
