Estrella Media has hired former Sony and Disney executive René Santaella to promote growth and overhaul the company’s digital division.
Santaella was brought on board as EVP, digital and streaming media, a newly created position.
Effective immediately, Santaella will be tasked with leading the digital transformation of Estrella Media’s driving strategy, building operations and generating new revenue initiatives.
Prior to joining Estrella Media, he was the SVP, head of ad sales and operations at Sony Pictures Television Digital Networks, where he built Sony Crackle into the free ad-supported streaming network that produced the Emmy-nominated hit, Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee.
He also managed ad sales, operations and strategic initiatives and led the creation of a premium video network for advertisers targeting a large audience of “connected gamers” that included PlayStation Store, PlayStation Vue, Funimation, Pluto TV and Crackle.
Before Sony, Santaella was director of ad sales marketing for Disney Interactive, leading digital and cross-platform advertising and integrated marketing solutions across the company.