Hulu CEO steps down
February 3, 2020
Randy Freer is stepping down from his role as Hulu CEO as Disney brings the US OTT service deeper into its streaming unit.
Leaders at Hulu will report directly to execs within Disney’s direct-to-consumer and international business as part of the reorganisation.
The leadership change comes after Disney agreed in May to acquire Comcast’s minority stake in Hulu and take full ownership of the streaming service. Disney has since made Hulu a key part of its streaming strategy as the general-audience complement to its family-friendly Disney Plus service and its sports-focused ESPN Plus platform.
The company is bringing Hulu closer to help scale all of its platforms more quickly, it said.
“I want to thank Randy for his leadership the last two years as CEO and for his collaboration the past several months to ensure an exceptionally bright future for Hulu,” said Kevin Mayer, Disney’s head of direct-to-consumer and international. “With the successful launch of Disney+, we are now focused on the benefits of scale within and across our portfolio of DTC businesses. Further integrating the immensely talented Hulu team into our organisation will allow us to more effectively and efficiently deploy resources, rapidly grow our presence outside the US and continue to relentlessly innovate. There is a tremendous amount of opportunity ahead, and I am confident in our ability to accelerate our positive momentum and better serve consumers.”
Freer commented: “I am grateful for my time at Hulu, and the opportunity to work and learn with an incredibly talented and dedicated group of people. I also want to thank Kevin and The Walt Disney Company, as well as NBCUniversal and Fox, for providing me the opportunity to lead Hulu during a time of tremendous growth and significant industry transformation. Hulu has established itself as a leading choice for consumers looking for the best TV service available today, and I am confident Hulu will thrive inside Disney under DTCI’s leadership and resources.”
Freer will remain in his role for the next few weeks to help with the transition.