In newly created role, Mr. Chugani will help drive growth for Discovery’s rapidly expanding direct-to-consumer business.
Philadelphia, PA – March 12, 2020 – Howard Fischer Associates (“HFA”), one of the leading executive and board search firms in the nation for more than 35 years, helped place Neil Chugani as Direct-to-Consumer Chief Financial Officer and Head of Strategy and Operations at Discovery, Inc.
“We are delighted to welcome Neil to the Discovery team,” said Gunnar Wiedenfels, Chief Financial Officer, Discovery. “Neil is a highly respected digital finance leader, whose experience and skills will help us further accelerate our strategic pivot as we make our great content and brands available to our passionate fans across all platforms around the world.”
In this newly created role, Neil will formulate and implement the financial strategy that will allow the direct-to-consumer team to meet Discovery’s ambitious growth objectives in that space. He will work with all of the company’s DTC business units, both in the U.S. and internationally, to create consistent strategic, financial, and operational practices.
“This is a brand-new role for Discovery, focused on Direct-To-Consumer products and services,” said Eric Ferst, Senior Principal at Howard Fisher Associates. “Neil will be integral in driving considerable business growth and scale of the Direct-to-Consumer business. He’s poised to be a key advisor to the Discovery CFO, Direct-to-Consumer CEO, and corporate leadership in terms of strategy and financial operations, and we’re confident that he will make an immediate and lasting impact.”
Prior to joining Discovery, Neil served as a Senior Director at Google, leading as CFO for the Business and Operations of Google and YouTube in Europe, Middle East, and Africa. There he played a key role in driving the doubling of revenue in the region over the last five years. He was previously Group CFO at BBC Worldwide, the commercial and international arm of the BBC, held senior executive positions at Sky, and was a Technology and Media Banker at Goldman Sachs. He is a former Board Member of UK Sport, the UK Government’s lead strategic body for Olympic sport, as well as a world champion coxswain for the British national rowing team. He is currently a member of the Board and Management Committee of Henley Royal Regatta, the world’s pre-eminent annual international rowing event.
He will be based at Discovery’s London office.
About Howard Fischer Associates
Howard Fischer Associates (HFA) is one of the leading executive and board search firms in the nation, committed to helping clients achieve their goals by identifying outstanding leaders who will effectively fit or help change their culture. The HFA process has been well-honed after 35 years of sustained excellence in the industry. HFA is headquartered in Philadelphia, with additional offices in Boston, Silicon Valley, and Chicago. For more information, visit www.hfischer.com.