Disney Entertainment Television names Amit Ziv chief financial officer

LOS ANGELES: Amit Ziv has a new title on the Disney lot. Ziv has become chief financial officer (CFO) of Disney Entertainment Television, from October 2026, after nine years and ten months at The Walt Disney Company. He shared the news on LinkedIn, saying he is happy to be starting the new position.

Ziv describes himself as an entrepreneurial media executive with extensive entertainment industry experience across strategy, finance, business development, business operations, content investment and distribution. He says he has a strong track record of leading transformation and driving growth across multiple lines of business, is a key strategic partner to the C-suite, and owns long-range planning, financial planning and analysis (FP&A) and strategy while leading large cross-functional teams.

He joined Disney in January 2017 as vice president, strategy, finance and business development, at Freeform, formerly ABC Family, where he was head of strategy, finance and business development. In April 2019 he moved to ABC Entertainment as vice president, strategy, finance and business planning, and head of strategy, finance and business planning for the network. There he led business strategy and managed the network’s profit and loss (P&L), overseeing the five-year long-range plan, annual budgeting, forecasting, ad hoc strategy projects, and original programming green lights and deal strategy. He says he also managed the slate investment, which he describes in billions of dollars, and content strategy.

In August 2023 he became vice president, strategy and finance, for Disney Entertainment Television, as head of strategy for its news group and networks organisation. He also oversaw strategy and finance for specific lines of business, including ABC Entertainment, ABC News, the owned station group and Freeform.

From November 2023 to October 2026 he was senior vice president, strategy and finance, for Disney Entertainment Television. In that role he oversaw strategy and directly supported the chairman of the division. He led strategic planning, FP&A and P&L management, including long-range planning, annual operating plans and forecast and close, for ABC Entertainment, ABC News (national news), eight owned TV stations (local news), Disney Kids and Family (Disney+ and Disney Channels) and Freeform. He also led and oversaw the division’s content finance centre of excellence.

Before Disney, Ziv spent four years and eight months at EPIX, the premium entertainment network. He joined in June 2012 as senior director and became vice president, business operations, development and strategy, in May 2013. In May 2016 he was promoted to senior vice president, business operations, development and strategy. He says EPIX, formerly a joint venture between Viacom, Lionsgate and MGM, was sold to MGM for $1 billion in 2017. His responsibilities included strategy and planning, content distribution across multichannel video programming distributors (MVPDs), virtual MVPDs and subscription video on demand (SVOD), digital partnerships and account management, and business operations.

From January 2010 to June 2012 he was senior associate, advisory services, at Ernst & Young, in its media and entertainment advisory practice, with a primary focus on broadcast and cable, and digital transformation. He worked there as an MBA summer associate in 2009. From July 2004 to June 2009 he was director, business development, at Madwood Studios, focusing on talent management, digital strategy, TV packaging, brand integration, endorsements and licensing.