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Discovery taps DirecTV’s Paul Guyardo as chief commercial officer
MUMBAI: Discovery Communications has tapped veteran media and retail industry executive Paul Guyardo as chief commercial officer effective 5 October, 2015.
Guyardo joins from DirecTV where he was executive vice president, chief revenue and marketing officer.
In this newly created position at Discovery Communications, Guyardo will oversee US ad sales, digital media, licensing and consumer products, consumer insights and data analytics. He will report to Discovery Communications president and CEO David Zaslav and be based at Discovery’s New York headquarters.
“Amid a rapidly evolving industry and shifting audience behavior, Discovery has maintained a steady, long-term growth strategy of investing in quality content, launching new networks and products and diversifying our IP mix to strengthen our brands and offerings. Our go-forward success in a random-access world depends on how well we innovate and monetize our content and brands across platforms. Paul brings a track record of results in growing businesses and creating consumer-centric strategies to launch products, create new revenue streams and engage viewers. Adding him to the management team is a major win for Discovery, our business partners and our audiences, and I look forward to his leadership in creating new ways to drive value for our businesses across platforms now and into the future,” said Zaslav.
In his new role with Discovery, Guyardo will be charged with leveraging his significant expertise to expand the ways Discovery monetizes its portfolio of valuable assets to distributors, advertising partners and directly to consumers. He also will be responsible for working with Discovery Networks International to drive its burgeoning international direct-to-consumer business, as well as overseeing emerging revenue streams including the company’s global licensing, consumer products and footage sales businesses.
“Discovery Communications has tremendous content and brands, passionate consumers and a world-class leadership team that I’m honored to join. The potential for continued growth is enormous and I look forward to getting started,” added Guyardo.
Guyardo joins Discovery following an accomplished career in the media, retail and consumer products industries. At DirecTV, he was responsible for all functions that drove the company’s $26 billion in annual US revenue including all sales and distribution channels, marketing, advertising, pricing & packaging, traditional ad sales and new addressable and digital ad platforms, directv.com, sports, premium channels and on-demand businesses, customer retention, product management, consumer research, business analytics, public relations and creative services.
During his 10 years at DirecTV, Guyardo’s leadership drove annual US revenue from $12.2 billion to $26 billion and the US subscriber base from 15 million to 20 million customers, due in large part to a relentless focus on customer segmentation and data analytics.
Prior to DirecTV, Guyardo served as Kmart’s chief marketing officer following the retailer’s emergence from bankruptcy, and was part of the senior management team that quickly returned the mass retailer to sales growth and improved profitability. Before Kmart, Guyardo was executive vice president of television and marketing for HSN.
Guyardo began his career in advertising and brand management, working on major businesses and accounts including AT&T and Johnson & Johnson amongst others.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
