Schiller, Bhatia, Fischer Add Duties at NBCU Ad Sales

Shea takes on cross-portfolio deals

By Jon Lafayette -- Broadcasting & Cable, 12/11/2012 12:46:38 PM

NBCUniversal said several top advertising sales executives have been given new or expanded responsibilities.

Those executives include executive VPs Scott Schiller, Krishan Bhatia, Barry Fischer, Earl Marshall and senior VP Mike Mayer. Those executives all report to Linda Yaccarino, president of ad sales for NBCU.

John Shea, executive VP and chief marketing officer, integrated media, NBCU, is joining the ad sales division, responsible for strategy, innovation and creative on cross-portfolio deals. Shea will report to Yaccarino and to Lauren Zalaznick, chairman for entertainment & digital networks and integrated media.

Schiller was named executive VP, digital ad sales, overseeing digital sales for NBCU's broadcast and cable brands plus some websites and partnerships.

Bhatia was named executive VP, digital strategy and operations for all of NBCU's digital ad sales.

Fischer was named executive VP, sales analytics, overseeing NBCU's portfolio market strategy.

Marshall was named executive VP and chief financial officer for NBC ad sales.

Mayer was named senior VP, sales solutions, overseeing ad sales systems and operations.

The moves mark the second set of new appointments in the NBCU ad sales staff since Yaccarino was named president in September. This group is mainly concerned with digital, strategy and operations. The previous group involved responsibility for sales at NBCU's cable networks. It's unknown whether changes are to come in the NBC broadcast network's sales force following the departure of president Marianne Gambelli in October.

"With these important additions to our previously announced senior leadership team, we are well suited to serve our brand and advertising partners," Yaccarino said in a statement. "They each strengthen our team with a wealth of experience from across the business and an understanding of how to effectively manage the execution of our sales programs in the rapidly changing digital landscape."