WarnerMedia hires Idell to helm D2C research

AT&T has appointed Cheryl Idell as the EVP and chief research officer of WarnerMedia Entertainment and direct-to-consumer.

Idell joins from Snap, owner of social media app Snapchat, where she served as the company’s head of US vertical measurement. She also previously worked at Mindshare as the head of its west coast offices, Nielsen as EVP of client solutions and at 20th Century Fox along with IAG Research and Initiative Media.

At Warner, Idell will be responsible for overseeing the functional areas of research across the business along with leading product research and all aspects of research for the upcoming streamer HBO Max.

She will report to Warner Entertainment and direct-to-consumer chairman Bob Greenblatt, who said: “As the evolution of video consumption continues to move at a rapid pace, staying at the forefront of technology, consumer trends and future capabilities is imperative for our success. Cheryl’s background in technology and entertainment makes her the perfect candidate to lead our research teams and build an industry-leading research practice that will take us into the future.”

Idell said: “I could not be more excited about the opportunity to work for Bob and alongside the exceptional executives and creators at WarnerMedia. It is such a thrilling time to be working in this business and WarnerMedia Entertainment has emerged as one of the biggest, boldest players through creativity and innovation.

“The company’s best-in-class brands, networks and programs make this a truly irresistible opportunity. I can’t wait to lead this incredible research team and help shape the future of audience insights and engagement through a combination of linear, streaming and direct-to-consumer data, research and analytics.”

HBO Max is scheduled to launch in May 2020 in the US for US$14.99 per month, with subsequent rollouts planned for Latin America and Europe.