Google is building a media and entertainment empire here are 10 stars leading the effort
With its army of computer engineers, Google is an icon of the Silicon Valley tech world.
But it's also one of the most powerful players in the entertainment and media industry, thanks to an impressive catalog of products and services that spans digital music, videos, gaming and sports.
YouTube, the Google-owned video-sharing hub, is the No. 2 most visited site on the web and one of the world's top sources of music.
But YouTube is just one part of Google's sprawling entertainment empire:
- Google Play, which serves as the digital store for Android and its more than 2 billion active users across the globe, moves tons of music, movies, TV shows and games.
- YouTube TV, the internet-based multi-channel TV service, is not yet two years old but is already enticing customers away from the much-maligned traditional cable players.
- And then there's the world of emerging media like virtual reality and smart speakers.
To make its mark in the industry, Google has enlisted an impressive stable of entertainment industry veterans and tech-savvy innovators, dispatching them to outposts in Los Angeles, New York and other key entertainment hotspots.
The team helping Google expand its entertainment empire includes dealmakers, creatives and techies. Here are some of the key must-know players on the team:
Lyor Cohen, YouTube's Global Head of Music
He's a rap aficionado, turned label chief, turned digital-music exec.
During a 30-year career as a record producer and music exec, Lyor Cohen worked with or helped develop such acts as Jay-Z, The Killers, Ed Sheeran, Bruno Mars, and Kanye West.
Then he switched sides.
YouTube scored a major coup when it hired Cohen in 2016. Among his old label pals, the move was unpopular. For a variety of reasons, many once saw Google as a threat. The main knock is that YouTube doesn't pay enough for the music videos that helped turn the site into an entertainment juggernaut.
But Cohen, the former CEO of Recorded Music at Warner Music Group, has done much to patch up the relationship. Cary Sherman, CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America, the labels top lobbyist, complimented the job Cohen's done.
"I think Lyor Cohen is doing a very good job of persuading the people at YouTube that they need to be partners with the music industry," Sherman told Business Insider in a recent interview.
Meanwhile, YouTube remains one of world's the largest music distributors. And to counter a challenge from Apple Music and Spotify, Cohen recently helped launch YouTube's new subscription music service.
Susanne Daniels, Global Head of Original Content at YouTube
Susanne Daniels is one of the people responsible for bringing the series "Cobra Kai," to YouTube Premium.
If you're from a certain generation, the show's title is instantly recognizable and may remind you that you once tried fighting your brother while standing on one leg.
The series, which has met with glowing reviews, is based on "The Karate Kid" films, and reprises the lives of two main characters, played by Ralph Macchio and William Zabka.
YouTube Premium, formerly known as as YouTube Red, offers ad-free streaming of all of YouTube's user-generated video. In addition, Premium also offers high-production quality film and TV fare from A-list directors. And that's where Daniels comes in.
She oversees development, programming and production of all of Premium's films and shows. Before Google, Daniels worked on such shows as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dawson’s Creek, and Gilmore Girls at places like MTV, Fox, LifeTime TV and The WB.
Jonathan Zepp, leads media & entertainment for Android & Google Play
Jonathan Zepp manages partnerships and business strategy for Entertainment, Sports and News video content. He and his team also drive business and content operations for the Google Play Movies & TV first-party service.
According to a story in Variety, Zepp has helped raise Google’s sales of downloadable film and TV shows, or what is known in the business as transactional electronic sell-through.
Prior to joining Google, Zepp worked at Sony Network Entertainment, Paramount Pictures and Napster. Zepp started out as a corporate and intellectual property lawyer.
Heather Moosnick, director of Content Partnerships for YouTube TV and Google Fiber.
Heather Moosnick is credited with helping to create YouTube TV and in this vein the public owes her a debt. One of the factors that contributed to the high cost of traditional cable TV packages was the lack of competition.
Thanks in part to Moosnick and YouTube TV, as well as Netflix, Hulu and all the internet-based multi-channel players, consumers are no longer locked into overpriced cable TV packages.
But if YouTube TV is to succeed, it's up to Moosnick and her colleagues to keep acquiring top content and offering it at a good price.
Moosnick spent 20 years working on digital deals at Viacom, CBS and Warner Music Group.
Ryan Wyatt, Global Head of Gaming Content at YouTube
Ryan Wyatt oversees two businesses at YouTube, gaming and virtual reality.
His team manages global gaming publisher partnerships, top gaming creators, live streamers and Esports Leagues.
Wyatt is one of the people who helped turn competitive videogaming into a spectator sport. He's a well-known former Esports commentator and a former executive at Machinima and Major League Gaming.
Angela Courtin, Global Head of Marketing for YouTube TV & Originals
In addition, she helped oversee the launches of the YouTube Originals shows Step Up, Ryan Hansen Solves Crime on Television, Demi Lovato’s Simply Complicated Documentary, and Ellen DeGeneres’ Show Me More Show.
Courtin also made the list for Business Insider’s “30 Most Powerful Women in Advertising.”
Neal Mohan, chief product officer at YouTube
Neal Mohan may not have the entertainment industry roots of some of the others on this list, but he is critical to Google's entertainment effort. Mohan is responsible for YouTube's user experience and backbone technology — without him there is no video entertainment. He oversees YouTube on all platforms and devices globally.
Also under his purview are emerging technologies like virtual reality. Products for media partners, content creators and musicians are also part of his portfolio.
Before this, he was responsible for the advertising offerings on YouTube, the Google Display Network, AdSense, AdMob, and the DoubleClick family of programmatic ad platform products.
Malik Ducard, director of Content Partnerships at YouTube
Malik Ducard oversees business development efforts for the platform’s Learning, Social Impact, Family, Film & TV partnership areas.
Before arriving at YouTube, Ducard worked as senior vice president of digital distribution at the Americas at Paramount Pictures and oversaw distribution of content to digital platforms.
Ducard is a fitting choice to help lead YouTube's family efforts. He is the author of several children's books, including "Henry's Big Win" and "Daddy's Car."
Christian Oestlien, director of product management at YouTube
YouTube snatched Christian Oestlien away from Twitter in 2015.
According to a story about his hiring in Tubefilter, Oestlien's responsibilities at YouTube include "building the platform and tools for the next generation of video creators on YouTube."
He's also one of the leaders of the YouTube TV initiative. A tech and media industry veteran, Oestlien has also served stints at Yahoo, Worldwinner and Vivendi Universal.
Robert Kyncl, Chief Business Officer at YouTube
Robert Kyncl is likely the prototype for the 21st century entertainment executive.
He's been an integral part of the two leaders in digital video: Netflix and YouTube. Kyncl oversees commercial, creative, and content partnerships for the platform. At Netflix, he helped decide what content the streaming-subscription service acquired.
In his book, "Stream: YouTube and the Rebels Remaking Media," Kyncl wrote that it was YouTube that showed Netflix leaders they should move to an internet streaming model.
Both Kyncl and Netflix are now part of the Hollywood establishment. In Variety’s Dealmakers Impact Report, he was among their “disruptors." He's also been listed In Vanity Fair’s New Establishment List, and Billboard’s Power 100 List.
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