MIAMI-March 28, 2016- Telemundo Network announced today it named Mario Ruiz as Senior Vice President of Music and Entertainment Projects, effective immediately. In this new position, Ruiz will bring his expertise and vast experience in the music industry to leverage the network’s existing music properties and talent, and develop new music content and business opportunities for the company, across all its platforms. Ruiz will continue to report to Luis Silberwasser, President of the Telemundo Network, and will be based in Miami.
The success and growth of the network's music-centric franchises such as the “Billboard Latin Music Awards,” “Latin American Music Awards,” “La Voz Kids,” or the recent bio-musical series such as “Celia,” underscores the strategic importance that music, talent and intellectual properties play in the network's original productions, both scripted and alternative.
In his new role, Ruiz will be leading the group responsible for identifying new music-based programming ideas for the network, discovering new musical talent, as well as forming partnerships with the music industry, all with the goal of generating revenue and profit opportunities for Telemundo Network, NBC UNIVERSO, Telemundo International and the Digital platforms. In order to capitalize on the strategic value that music content has for Telemundo, Ruiz will work closely with the network’s programming team and Telemundo Studios to create and exploit musical assets which are an integral part of Telemundo’s scripted series and bio-musical dramas. In addition, Ruiz will be charged with developing strategies for new lines of businesses and/or partnerships to leverage the network’s intellectual properties across other ancillary businesses.
“Mario is the perfect executive to create and execute a growth strategy that will generate new revenues and profits, leveraging our current music-centric projects and creating other entertainment-based opportunities," said Silberwasser. “His vast knowledge of the music industry and the respect he commands within the community of artists, music executives and managers, will strengthen Telemundo’s position as a content generator and a company willing to partner with the music industry to help launch new careers and projects, while generating new revenue opportunities for all."
Previously, Ruiz was Senior Vice President, Talent Development & Strategy, where he developed and executed Telemundo’s overall on-air talent business strategy, as well as led the on-air talent positioning strategy in partnership with key stakeholders within Telemundo Studios, Alternative Programming, Sports, News, Telemundo Stations, Telemundo International, Marketing, Sales, Digital, Business Affairs and NBC UNIVERSO. In this role, Ruiz was instrumental in attracting and signing new talent to Telemundo including top Hispanic stars such as Angelica Vale, Lucero, Pedro Fernandez, Raul Gonzalez, Laura Flores, Natalia Jimenez, Blanca Soto, and Daddy Yankee.
Ruiz joined Telemundo from the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (LARAS), where he was a consultant and executive producer since 2011. At LARAS, Ruiz worked on “Person of the Year 2012,” a tribute event honoring Brazilian superstar Caetano Veloso and “Person of the Year 2011,” a star-studded extravaganza honoring Colombian superstar Shakira. He also produced two “Latin Grammy Acoustic Sessions” featuring major artists, Juanes and Reik in Mexico City, and Milton Nascimento and Toquinho in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Prior to the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, Ruiz worked at Univision Networks as Vice President of Talent, where he centralized main functions for major on-camera talent amongst the three networks, Univision, TeleFutura and Galavision. During his tenure at Univision, he also was recognized for bringing the Latin Grammy Awards to the network.
Before Univision Networks, Ruiz held several international executive posts at EMI Music Group, including President and Chief Executive Officer at EMI Mexico; Vice President, Marketing of EMI Music International in London; and Director Artist & Repertoire (A&R) and Marketing for EMI Music Latin America.
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TELEMUNDO is a world-class media company leading the industry in the production and distribution of high-quality Spanish-language content across its multiplatform portfolio to U.S. Hispanics and audiences around the world. The network features original scripted dramas from Telemundo Studios – the #1 producer of Spanish-language primetime content – as well as non-scripted productions, theatrical motion pictures, specials, news and first-class sports events, reaching 94% of U.S. Hispanic viewers in 210 markets through its 17 owned stations and 52 broadcast and MVPD affiliates. TELEMUNDO is part of NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, a division of NBCUniversal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.
Press Contacts:
Michelle Alban
305-889-7585
Michelle.Alban@nbcuni.com
Elizabeth Vazquez
305-882-8747
Elizabeth.Vazquez@nbcuni.com
Emily Hunter for Telemundo
212-983-9898
