Longtime YouTube executive Adam Smith joins Disney in key tech role

Longtime YouTube and Google executive Adam Smith will join Walt Disney Co. as chief product and technology officer for Disney Entertainment and ESPN, indicating the media and entertainment giant’s intent to improve its customer technology experience.

Smith will be responsible for setting the strategy, development and innovation of technology across Disney’s streaming platforms and networks, its advertising tech and “consumer digital touchpoints,” among other aspects, Disney said in a statement Thursday.

“We could not be more thrilled to have Adam join the Disney team in this pivotal role,” Disney Entertainment co-Chairs Alan Bergman and Dana Walden and ESPN Chair Jimmy Pitaro said in a joint statement. “Adam brings a bold, consumer-focused vision for the future and a proven ability to effectively lead global teams in implementing ambitious, scalable and flexible products and technology that will continue to elevate storytelling as the center of the Disney experience.”

Smith starts in his new role Sept. 3 and will report to Bergman, Walden and Pitaro, the company said. He replaces Disney veteran Aaron LaBerge, who left the company after 20 years to join casino and sports-betting company Penn Entertainment.

Smith worked at both YouTube and Google for more than 20 years. He last served as YouTube’s vice president of product management since 2016 and was in charge of the company’s subscriptions, music, commerce and premium efforts. While at Google, he led development and strategy for projects such as Google Fiber and also oversaw a portfolio including Google News, Google Books and Google Scholar.

His hire comes as Disney has made more strides in its streaming business. The company’s overall streaming business — which consists of Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ — finally turned a profit in the third fiscal quarter after years of losses totaling billions of dollars.