David Zaslav
2020 Manhattan Jewish Hall of Fame Inductee
Biography
As chief executive, David Zaslav oversees Discovery's global suite of brands across all platforms. Under Zaslav, Discovery began trading as a public company in 2008; became a Fortune 500 company in 2014; and acquired Scripps Networks Interactive in 2018.
Its assets now form a collection of world-class brands and global IP that create the foundation for one of the company's most-ambitious initiatives ever, discovery+. The definitive real-life subscription streaming service launched in the U.S. in January 2021 with more than 55,000 episodes, and internationally, continues its rollout to more than 25 markets.
Since Zaslav took the helm, Discovery has launched some of the fastest-growing U.S. cable networks, including ID and OWN. He also has diversified Discovery's portfolio with investments including sports in Europe, where he led the acquisition of Eurosport, now home of the Olympic Games across Europe. Zaslav has expanded Discovery's audiences across screens with digital content company Group Nine Media; OTT offering Eurosport Player; the GO portfolio of TVE apps; Food Network Kitchen, a first-of-its-kind cooking ecosystem; an alliance with PGA TOUR to create GolfTV, the international home of golf, and an unprecedented partnership with Tiger Woods; a controlling stake in Play Sports Group, creating the #1 cycling media ecosystem in the world; a landmark natural history and factual content partnership with the BBC; and a joint venture with MotorTrend Group, representing Discovery's first direct-to-consumer OTT push in the U.S.
Zaslav spearheaded the launch and growth of Discovery Impact, the company's corporate social responsibility program, which includes conservation initiative Project C.A.T.: Conserving Acres for Tigers, to help double the global wild tiger population by 2022.
Prior to Discovery, Zaslav had a distinguished career at NBCUniversal.
