Warner Bros. Discovery has appointed Robert Gibbs, a former press secretary for the Obama White House, as chief of communications and public affairs.
Gibbs will start his new job on August 5 and report directly to WBD CEO David Zaslav.
“At this transformative time in our industry, Robert is the right leader to assume this new, critical global role, as we continue to grow the Warner Bros. Discovery brand and presence around the world,” Zaslav said in a statement. “Robert is an insightful and respected leader with experience spanning Fortune 500 companies, the White House, and winning political campaigns. He will be an invaluable part of the team as we create the most captivating stories and content for consumers around the world. I am thrilled to welcome him to WBD.”
WBD's top comms job has been open since January, when Nathaniel Brown exited the company.
Gibbs most recently served as a partner for the marketing and communications firm Bully Pulpit International. He is also the co-host of the podcast Hacks on Tap with David Axelrod and Mike Murphy.
Gibbs was the Obama administration’s first press secretary and an assistant to the President from January 2009 to February 2011. Gibbs began working for Obama in 2004 as communications director for his U.S. Senate campaign.
“I couldn’t be happier to join Warner Bros. Discovery and to help tell the incredible stories of so many iconic brands across entertainment, news and sports,” Gibbs added. “I’m particularly excited to work with the global team to fully and clearly capture WBD’s vision and communicate the meaningful growth potential in front of us. I am looking forward to getting started and being a part of this world-class organization.”
