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Warner Bros. Discovery's Hannes Heyelmann to Depart

After over two decades, the Executive Vice President will be leaving the company in late October. By: Theng Min Yee

In a significant development, Hannes Heyelmann, the Executive Vice President of Warner Bros. Discovery in Germany, is set to leave the company later this year. Heyelmann, who also oversaw operations in Switzerland and Austria, will continue in his role until the end of October, with the search for a successor already in progress.

Although Heyelmann's next career move remains undisclosed, he shared in a message to staff that he intends to "take a break, spend more time with my family, and determine my next professional steps."

Heyelmann assumed this role last year and was one of six executives overseeing the European region under the leadership of fellow Turner alum, Priya Dogra. Dogra, who recently announced her departure from Warner Bros. Discovery, will not be directly replaced. Instead, her responsibilities will be absorbed by Gerhard Zeiler, the international president of Warner Bros. Discovery.

Hannes Heyelmann's departure marks the end of a tenure spanning over two decades, starting from his initial role at Turner. He ascended to the position of Senior Vice President and Managing Director for Central and Eastern Europe, playing a pivotal role in the introduction of locally produced scripted series on pay TV channels in Germany. In 2020, he transitioned to Executive Vice President of Programming in EMEA for WarnerMedia and continued with the company after its merger with Discovery, ultimately assuming his current position at Warner Bros. Discovery in June 2022.

Gerhard Zeiler expressed his gratitude to Heyelmann, acknowledging his significant contributions and leadership in a region of paramount importance. Heyelmann reflected on his 22-year journey with Warner Bros. Discovery, reminiscing about diverse roles that spanned corporate strategy in the U.S., the establishment of pay networks in Germany, championing local productions, shaping EMEA network and streaming programming strategies, and culminating in his role as General Manager for Warner Bros. Discovery in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

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