Disney has tapped former Warner Bros. executive Craig Hunegs to lead its combined television studios once its Fox acquisition officially closes later this year.
Hunegs is set to serve as president of Disney Television Studios, which will soon comprise ABC Studios, ABC Signature, Twentieth Century Fox Television and Fox 21 Television Studios. He will report to Fox’s Dana Walden, who will assume the role of chairman, Disney Television Studios and ABC Entertainment once the deal closes.
The new role at Disney follows Hunegs’ departure from his long-term position at Warner Bros. late last year. He most recently served as president of business and strategy for the company’s television group, in addition to overseeing its digital operations.
Reporting directly to Hunegs will be ABC Studios president Patrick Moran; Twentieth Century Fox Television presidents Jonathan Davis and Howard Kurtzman; and Bert Salke, president of Fox 21 Television Studios.
During his nearly 25-year tenure at Warner Bros., Hunegs earned a reputation as a savvy dealmaker, having overseen negotiations for such shows as “ER,” “Friends” and “The Big Bang Theory” in addition to negotiating licensing deals with Netflix and Hulu and overseeing the creation of The CW network.
Hunegs also led the company’s shift into the digital sphere, having been tapped by Warner Bros. chairman and CEO Kevin Tsujihara to serve as the founding president of Warner Bros. Digital Networks in 2016.