Univision has hired Jesus Lara as the new head of its radio division.
Lara, whose title will be General Manager of Digital, Content & Entertainment for Radio, most recently served as Executive Vice President of Digital Media Strategy for Spanish Broadcasting Systems. He will remain based in Miami overseeing the implementation “of strategies that take UCI’s digital, content creation, programming and entertainment efforts within radio into the future”.
Lara spent three years with SBS leading their digital operations including LaMusica.com and its station websites. He also spent seven years at MTV International as Senior Vice President, Music Programming, Marketing and Talent Strategy running MTV Latin America and and MTV Tr3s in the US.
Univision Communications Inc. (UCI), the leading media company serving Hispanic America, today announced the appointment of Jesus Lara as general manager of Digital, Content, and Entertainment for Radio. In this position, Lara will lead the company’s radio business and oversee the development and implementation of strategies that take UCI’s digital, content creation, programming and entertainment efforts within radio into the future. He will work closely with general managers across the country as well as leaders across Univision Local Media to drive the creative vision and operational leadership of the radio business.
Lara will be based in Miami and report to John Eck, Chief Local Media Officer. He will work closely with UCI’s President of Music, Jorge ‘Pepo’ Ferradas, to ensure continued alignment with the company’s broader music strategy while leveraging UCI’s unique offerings in new and creative ways.
“Jesus is an accomplished and creative industry veteran with an entrepreneurial spirit and a unique blend of experiences in music, marketing and digital,” said Eck. “I’m confident that his leadership will help propel our radio business to new heights.”
“Radio plays a fundamental role in the music industry; and at Univision, it is important that we have someone of Jesus’s caliber to lead this platform alongside our current team,” said Ferradas. “His passion for music, team-player spirit and vast experience makes us extremely happy to count with him on our team.”
“I am thrilled and honored with the opportunity to lead this incredible portfolio of brands. I look forward to working closely with John and the senior management team, in positioning the radio group for the future with a renewed and keen focus on leveraging Univision’s strong culture, creating great content and developing powerful code,” said Lara.
Lara joins UCI with more than 20 years of experience leading digital, programming, content, and marketing teams in the radio, music and entertainment industry. He has worked with top media and content companies, including Viacom, EMI and most recently at Spanish Broadcasting System. During his career he has been known as a trailblazer in the execution of digital, programming, content and talent strategies to reach Hispanic and international audiences. Lara is a marketing and international business graduate from Florida International University and holds an MBA in International Business from Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University, as well as an MSc in Digital Marketing from I.E. Business School in Madrid, Spain.