Discovery hires BBC business boss

Europe has poached Dominic Coles, the BBC’s business operations boss, to become its COO and CFO.

Coles has for the past two years overseen operations and finances for the UK pubcaster’s £1 billion-plus business. He now takes on a similar post at Discovery Networks International’s western Europe business, which comprises the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands.

He will report to Discovery Networks Western Europe president Dee Forbes and Doug Baker, who is COO and CFO of Discovery Networks Western Europe president DNI.

Coles will replace Yitz Shmulewitz, who is moving to a new role as executive VP and COO of Eurosport following completion of Discovery’s move to take a majority stake in the sports channel.

Coles’s roles at the BBC include COO of BBC Journalism, COO and CFO of BBC Sport and COO of the BBC’s 2012 Olympic Games operation. He also helmed the BBC’s sports rights acquisitions for a decade. Prior to that, he worked for the Deloitte accountacy firm among other roles.http://www.digitaltveurope.net/208502/discovery-hires-bbc-business-boss/