NBCUniversal has made some changes to its leadership team, appointing Alison Levin as president of advertising and partnerships, and promoting Karen Kovacs to president of client partnerships. These changes come at a time of difficulty in the domestic TV ad market, and as the company pushes for a more streaming-centric approach.
Mark Marshall has been named advertising and partnerships global chairman, taking over from Linda Yaccarino who left the company to become CEO of Twitter. Levin, who is joining NBCU next month, will oversee all advertising sales across national, local, Peacock, sports, and Olympic and Paralympic Games sales. She will report directly to Marshall, and her appointment reflects the company’s focus on enhancing its streaming ad capabilities.
Levin comes to NBCUniversal from Roku, where she served as vice president of global ad revenue and marketing solutions. She was the digital platform’s first major ad sales hire and is highly respected in the advertising ecosystem for her focus on partnership and innovative leadership in the Connected TV and digital ad space. Prior to her time at Roku, Levin held sales positions at YuMe, IAC, and BusinessWeek.
Marshall praised Levin’s expertise, saying, “Alison is extremely well-respected across the advertising ecosystem for her focus on partnership as well as her innovative leadership in the Connected TV and digital ad space.”
The restructuring at NBCUniversal is part of the company’s efforts to adapt to a declining linear TV environment and the growing streaming ad market. Like other media and entertainment companies, NBCU has had to rework its organizational structure to address these shifts in the industry.
In addition to Levin’s appointment, Karen Kovacs has been promoted to president of client partnerships. In her new role, she will continue to lead new and emerging client relationships, reporting to Marshall. Kovacs has been essential in the collaboration and growth of the company’s enterprise partnerships with clients, and her promotion reflects the company’s commitment to advancing its division forward.
Kovacs has been upped from executive vice president, client partnerships for NBCUniversal’s advertising and partnerships division. Her new role and Levin’s appointment are part of NBCU’s broader leadership team strategy to propel the division forward.
These developments at NBCUniversal demonstrate the company’s efforts to adapt to the changing landscape of the advertising industry and align with its focus on streaming as a key platform for future growth. With an experienced leadership team in place, NBCU is positioning itself to capitalize on new opportunities in the evolving ad market.