Warner Bros. Discovery hired Adrienne O'Hara as EVP, chief communications and public affairs officer of Discovery Global, the TV-centric entity that's set to spin off from WBD next year.
O'Hara, a communications and PR veteran most recently at Gap Inc., will join the company effective Jan. 7, 2026. In the newly created role, she will report to Gunnar Wiedenfels, WBD's current CFO who will become president and CEO of Discovery Global. O'Hara will lead all global communications and public affairs for the company as it gears up to operate as an independent, publicly traded company following the planned separation from Warner Bros. Discovery.
Currently, WBD expects to complete the spin-off of Discovery Global in the third quarter of 2026. Following that, the remaining WBD businesses -- Warner Bros.'s studios, HBO and HBO Max, and games -- will be acquired by Netflix under an $83 billion deal.
That whole plan could be derailed, though: David Ellison's Paramount Skydance has launched a hostile $108 billion takeover bid, hoping to convince WBD shareholders to vote for that deal and reject the Netflix agreement.
Discovery Global will include WBD's entertainment, sports and news TV brands CNN (including CNN International and CNN's All Access streaming service), Discovery, TNT, TBS, OWN, HGTV, Food Network, TLC, Animal Planet, Cartoon Network and Adult Swim. It also will include TNT Sports in the U.S. and free-to-air channels across Europe, as well as digital products such as the Discovery+ streaming service and Bleacher Report (B/R).
Wiedenfels said in a statement, "Adrienne is a proven leader with deep experience guiding iconic branded portfolios through transformation and change. Her ability to translate strategy into clear, compelling narratives will be critical as we look to engage our investors, employees, partners and other stakeholders, building continued belief in Discovery Global's incredible potential as a standalone company."
O'Hara, who is based in New York, most recently served as SVP of global communications and engagement at Gap Inc., where she led enterprise communications and multistakeholder engagement for the company's portfolio of global brands since 2020. Before that, she was head of communications for Gap Inc.'s Old Navy. Earlier in O'Hara's career, she spent more than a decade at Toys"R"Us in senior communications roles.
O'Hara commented: "Discovery Global has an extraordinary portfolio of brands and a clear opportunity to redefine its market positioning, using communications to support growth and deepen cultural relevance. "I'm excited to partner with Gunnar and the entire global team to help shape the company's narrative, elevate the employee experience, and increase brand impact as Discovery Global enters its next chapter."
O'Hara's appointment completes the leadership team for the new company, according to WBD. The Discovery Global leadership team, as previously announced, includes:
