AT&T combines WarnerMedia and Xandr

AT&T is bringing together WarnerMedia with its advanced advertising unit Xandr. The combined team will be led by Chief Revenue Officer Gerhard Zeiler. It’s a move that the industry has speculated would happen for months, first following the departure of former WarnerMedia ad sales president Donna Speciale and then with the exit of Xandr CEO Brian Lesser last month. Earlier in the year, the company announced WarnerMedia ad sales and Xandr would go to the market during this year’s ad haggle together and host a joint upfront presentation. Kirk McDonald, chief business officer at Xandr, will continue to lead the organization and report directly to Zeiler. “We are in unprecedented times that amplify the priority across both WarnerMedia and Xandr, to deliver valuable results and outcomes for our agencies and clients,” Zeiler, who also serves as president of WarnerMedia International, said in a statement. “Now more than ever, we need to simplify advertising and further our marketplace capabilities for our customers. This is done through one holistic conversation that spans premium content and trusted environments, alongside proven and advanced ad capabilities.” The company says the combination will help speed up advanced advertising and technology solutions and also accelerate new ad formats for HBO Max streaming service in 2021.

AT&T combines WarnerMedia and Xandr

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