Liguori to Depart Discovery at Year's End

Chief operating officer position to be eliminated going forward

By Andrea Morabito -- Broadcasting & Cable, 11/9/2011 9:18:27 AM

Discovery Communications COO Peter Liguori will leave the company at the end of the year, it was announced Wednesday. No successor will be named.

As chief operating officer since 2009, Liguori oversaw the launches of Discovery's three recent joint ventures -- The Hub, OWN and 3net -- including serving as interim CEO of OWN for a brief time between the tenures of Christina Norman and Oprah Winfrey.

In his operational role, he provided leadership for marketing, Discovery Studios, corporate communications and corporate affairs, business affairs, and media technology, production and operations. He also chaired Discovery's Content Committee comprised of the U.S. networks' general managers.

"Pete's leadership, enthusiasm and creative vision have brought a fresh and important perspective to Discovery," said David Zaslav, Discovery president and CEO, in a statement. "Around the world, our programming, marketing and promotional efforts have greatly benefited from his energy, experience and creative eye. I am particularly grateful to Pete for tackling some pretty challenging special assignments, including the launches of our joint venture networks -- The Hub, OWN and 3net. Pete is just a terrific guy and talented executive, and I want to thank him for the many significant contributions he has made at all levels of Discovery Communications."

Prior to Discovery, Liguori served in various leadership roles at News Corp., including entertainment chairman at Fox from 2005-09, president and CEO of FX Networks from 1998-2005, and before that, senior VP of marketing for a Fox joint venture since 1996.

Another Discovery senior executive, CFO Brad Singer, had previously announced he would leave the company in March 2012.