The Wrap News is pleased to announce that Oganes Akopyan, a veteran marketing executive with the Los Angeles Times, has been named vice president of marketing and events.
In this role, Akopyan will be in charge of all marketing strategy for the L.A.-based news outlet, including supporting sales targets, determining brand growth as well as leading TheWrap’s premium events portfolio — from awards season screenings to TheGrill business conference to the Power Women Summit, the largest annual event for women in entertainment and media.
“We could not be more excited to bring on board a marketing leader with such an impressive set of accomplishments. Oganes has built large scale events at the L.A. Times and brought delightful creativity and laser operational focus to his marketing efforts,” TheWrap CEO Sharon Waxman said in a statement. “But mostly we are delighted to bring someone with such drive and passion to join our best-in-class team of business leaders.”
“I’m excited to join TheWrap at a momentous period in the company and help spearhead the continued growth of their outstanding events division, as well as promote their award-winning content across all platforms,” Akopyan said. “I’ve always admired TheWrap throughout my career, and it’s a perfect time to now embark on this new opportunity and journey to bring my years of media expertise to the forefront. Sharon Waxman has created an exemplary media company, I’m really looking forward to further building on that foundation by shaping exciting events that resonate across the entertainment industry and enthusiastic consumers alike.”
The hire comes as TheWrap continues its rapid growth as the leading digital-first media company covering Hollywood, and its only independently-owned trade. Through the course of the last 18 months of pandemic, TheWrap has doubled its revenue growth and driven consistent increases in traffic, along with the continued ramp-up of its subscription product, WrapPRO. Akopyan’s arrival rounds out TheWrap’s senior leadership team. including Chief Operating Officer Dan Strauss and Chief Revenue Officer Lynne Segall.
Akopyan’s career in marketing and entertainment spans over two decades with successful tenures at the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and Tribune Publishing. Prior to his new leadership role with TheWrap, Oganes served as the director of marketing at the Los Angeles Times and oversaw promotion for over 70 events annually.
He additionally led a team of marketing managers and designers who worked across departments to plan and launch products. His team drove strategy and insights for sales teams, developed client decks, created media kits, and responded to RFPs to ultimately maximize revenue across all categories and platforms.
Prior to his time with the Los Angeles Times, Akopyan was the national marketing director for Tribune Publishing across nine U.S. markets spearheading marketing initiatives via cross-functional teams. He previously worked at The New York Times’ advertising headquarters in L.A. There, he shaped client events, was an instrumental centerpiece for the sales team, and also won the prestigious Publisher’s Award. Akopyan has a bachelor’s degree in Business from California State University, Los Angeles.
Akopyan is a lifelong Angeleno native who resides in Burbank with his wife and two children. His favorite movie of all time is “Back to the Future,” the last show he binge-watched was “The Undoing,” and his favorite theater snack is popcorn.
About The Wrap News Inc.
The Wrap News Inc. is the leading digital-first news organization covering the business of entertainment and media via digital, print and live events. Launched in 2009 by award-winning journalist Sharon Waxman, TheWrap’s editorial independence, metabolism for breaking news and investigative stories make it a key destination for producers, directors, studios, network executives, agents, managers and talent. TheWrap’s subscription service, WrapPRO, offers in-depth reporting and analysis for executives and industry insiders. TheWrap’s tentpole events help to galvanize the industry and connect us to a worldwide audience of influential decision-makers and up-and-comers striving to join them.
TheWrap has won multiple awards for investigative reporting, columns, criticism and feature writing. In 2021 Waxman was honored at the L.A. Press Club SoCal Journalism Awards as the Best Online Journalist, as well as for her blog, WaxWord. That same year, The L.A. Press Club’s SoCal Journalism Awards also gave TheWrap top prizes for feature photography, as well as for its weekly podcast, “TheWrap-Up.” TheWrap was chosen as the Best Online News Website at the SoCal Journalism Awards in 2018, 2012 and 2009, and Best Entertainment Website at the National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards in 2018. In 2019, the site won two National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards for the multimedia package “#AfterMeToo: 12 Accusers Share What Happened Next, From Firing to More Trauma.”
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