HBO Max appoints Baris Zavaroglu as Director General in Turkey

WarnerMedia has appointed Baris Zavaroglu as its Director General for HBO Max in Turkey, ahead of the platform’s launch in the country later this year. Zavaroglu will be responsible for leading the direct-to-consumer business in Turkey in the newly created role, overseeing the launch and growth of HBO Max in the territory, aligned with the streamer’s wider strategy in the EMEA region.

Zavaroglu, who joins the WarnerMedia streaming service from Turkcell’s OTT and pay TV business TV Plus, where he was General Manager, will report to Christina Sulebakk, General Manager of HBO Max EMEA, effective immediately. The executive also held previous positions as CMO for Fox Turkey and worked for The Walt Disney Company in a senior management role for Eastern Europe and the MENA region.

“Baris joins us at an important time as we prepare to launch and grow in a strategically important market. His expertise and leadership will prove invaluable as we look to establish and build rapidly in the country as part of our phased roll out in Europe,”  Christina Sulebakk commented.

“HBO Max is generating considerable momentum as it rolls out around the world with a deep and diverse content offering that is unlike anything else on the planet. It’s an honour to be tasked with bringing the service to life in Turkey,”  Baris Zavaroglu declared.

The streaming service HBO Max is currently live in 46 territories across the Americas and Europe, with plans to launch in a further 21 European territories - including Turkey - in 2022.