Former Univision Exec Takes Top Digital Role At CBS

0

The President of Advertising Sales & Marketing at Univision Communications from 2007-2012 has just been named EVP/Digital Sales and Sales Strategy.


He reports to a 15-year CBS Corp. veteran who is concurrently rising to the role of President and Chief Advertising Revenue Officer.

Jo Ann Ross, who has led CBS Television Network sales efforts since 2002, takes the CRO job as David Lawenda comes on board for CBS’s top digital sales role. 

Lawenda, who reports to Ross, was Head of U.S., Global Marketing Solutions at Facebook until March 2017.

The promotion of Ross and appointment of Lawenda come as CBS has “repositioned its advertising sales organization for the multi-platform future.”

As part of those changes, CBS Interactive CRO Dave Morris, in the role since 2008, has been named to an expanded role with the company as EVP/Advanced Advertising and Client Partnerships.

In this new role, he will lead CBS’ efforts in the evolving video space as it relates to ad innovation and audience planning, working closely with Lawenda. He reports to Ross.

As part of the new structure, Lawenda will be responsible for oversight of CBS’ digital advertising sales business and multiplatform sales strategy. In his new role, Lawenda will oversee the existing sales and marketing efforts of CBS Interactive headed by Ken Lagana, Senior Vice President, Global Advertising Sales and Marketing, CBS Digital Media; Katie Kulik, Senior Vice President, Global Advertising Sales and Marketing, CNET Media Group; Jason White, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Revenue Operations; and Dennis Colon, VP/Sales Operations and Strategy.

As head of U.S. sales at Facebook, Lawenda was responsible for overseeing marketing relationships with the leading brands and agencies in the country, and specifically managing the growth of 14 key verticals: CPG, Beauty, Pharma/Health Care, Retail, Automotive, Financial Services, Restaurants, Technology, Telecomm, Entertainment, Government/Political, Travel, E-commerce and Professional Services.

Before his time at Univision, Lawenda held several key positions at Viacom, where he oversaw sales and marketing and helped launch and brand both SpikeTV and UPN. Lawenda also spent time at Turner Broadcasting and began his career at DDB Needham.