Official Disney Press Release:

RITA FERRO PROMOTED TO EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT,
DISNEY MEDIA SALES AND MARKETING

BURBANK, June 17, 2010 . . . Rita Ferro, an executive with a strong track record in advertising sales and promotions, has been promoted to Executive Vice President, Disney Media Sales and Marketing, effective June 28. Ms. Ferro will relocate to New York from Miami, where she’s been an integral part of Disney and ESPN’s Latin America business since 1997. She succeeds Tricia Wilber who was recently named Chief Marketing Officer, The Walt Disney Company, Europe, Middle East and Africa.

In her new role, Ferro will lead the integrated sales team that represents and maximizes advertising sales, marketing and promotions across The Walt Disney Company’s media platforms serving kids, moms and families, including its kid-driven, family inclusive TV channels, its wide-range of online offerings, its mom-focused publishing business, and its kid- and mom-focused radio platform. The portfolio, consists of Disney Channel, Disney XD, Playhouse Disney (soon to re-brand to Disney Junior), plus over 20 Disney Online properties serving kids, families and/or women including Disney.com, DisneyFamily.com, DisneyChannel.com, RadioDisney.com, Kaboose.com and FamilyFun.com, among others.

Ferro will report to three business unit leaders – Carolina Lightcap, president, Disney Channels Worldwide; Paul Yanover, Executive Vice President and Managing Director, Disney Online, and Russell Hampton, president, Disney Publishing Worldwide.

Ms. Lightcap said, “Rita has a great reputation in the advertising community and a strong background in generating strategic opportunities for diverse clients in a dynamic multichannel, multi-brand business.” She continued, “I am excited to be working closely with her again, and know our integrated ad sales team stands to benefit enormously from her keen insights, strong relationships and leadership skills.”

“I look forward to working with Rita to build strategic cross-platform business opportunities,” stated Mr. Yanover. “Her multi-faceted background and experience leveraging strong brands to create unique solutions is a huge benefit to our integrated sales organization.”

Ferro has been Vice President, Advertising Sales, Disneymedia+ since 2008, representing to the advertising and promotions industry the vast commercial opportunities generated by Disney in Latin America –  a pan-regional business spanning television, radio, online, publishing, consumer products and studios. In this role, she had oversight of ad sales offices in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Miami, and its ad sales representatives in Central America, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru and Chile.

She joined ESPN International in 1997 as Manager, International Advertising Sales. In 1999 she was promoted to director, and in 2003 to Vice President, International Ad Sales, and gained management responsibility for the ESPN International ad sales office in Miami. She ultimately added ad sales management for Disney Media Network’s burgeoning kid-driven and family inclusive portfolio – Disney Channel, Disney XD and Playhouse Disney — in Latin America.

Prior to joining ESPN, Ferro was Manager of ad sales for Cisneros Television Group (1997), an advertising account manager with MTV Networks in Latin America (1994-97), and an account executive with Blue Pearl Entertainment (1993-94).

A native of Coral Gables, Florida, Ferro earned a Bachelors of Science degree in advertising and a Masters of International Business degree from Florida International University. She and her family will relocate from Coral Gables, Florida to New York.

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