WarnerMedia EMEA & Asia's President, Priya Dogra, has appointed Hannes Heyelmann to lead theatrical productions in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. “Having seen Hannes work with colleagues across the business to ensure that we have excellent content on our linear networks and HBO Max, I am delighted that he will bring his collaborative skills and business acumen to theatrical too,” Priya Dogra said.
As the lead for Local Theatrical Production, he will oversee a successful production slate of German cinema spanning drama, comedy, and family entertainment, adding to his current remit as EVP Programming, EMEA. His appointment follows Peter Schauerte’s decision to leave the company after 20 years of service. Heyelmann will continue to report to Priya Dogra. He will also work closely with Sylvia Rothblum, recently appointed Country Manager for the GAS region, and her team to develop a local production strategy. Rothblum’s team will continue to manage distribution, sales, and marketing for local theatrical productions. “As an experienced leader with deep knowledge of the GAS region, I am sure he will continue driving WarnerMedia’s strong track record of producing compelling German films,” Dogra said.
The executive, initially appointed as Head of Programming for EMEA in 2020, retains his current responsibilities leading content, windowing, and acquisition strategies. In this role, he manages programming across general entertainment linear networks and oversees long-form creative services, research & insights, and channel marketing. “I’m thrilled to look after the successful German local theatrical business, supported by the talented creative team led by Magdalena Prosteder, Head of Creative Local Content,” Hannes Heyelmann said.
Heyelmann joined the company in 2001. He was previously SVP and Managing Director for Central and Eastern Europe and International Original Programming Strategy at Turner. “We will continue to produce great movies for the German market, and I’m sure some will also have additional exposure on HBO Max in Europe and beyond," Heyelmann said.