Karl Holmes has been appointed to spearhead Disney+ operations in the EMEA region, effective January. He will relocate to London to take on this new position. Before this role, Holmes served as the Chief Operating Officer for Europe at Sky and held several key positions, including Chief Consumer Revenue Officer for the U.K., CFO for the U.K. and Ireland, and Group Chief Data Officer.
In his new capacity at Disney+, Holmes will assume the role of Senior Vice President for Direct-to-Consumer and General Manager for EMEA, succeeding Luke Bradley-Jones, another former Sky executive. Bradley-Jones served at Disney+ from 2020 until early 2024 before transitioning to the president role at the Economist Publishing Group.
Holmes will oversee regional teams within Disney+ EMEA and report directly to Jan Koeppen, president of Walt Disney EMEA, and Joe Earley, president of Direct-to-Consumer at Disney Entertainment.
“Karl Holmes brings extensive experience at a pivotal moment for our DTC business, which continues to thrive across the region,” Koeppen remarked. “With its award-winning programming, Disney+ offers something for everyone. Karl’s proven ability to drive long-term success in consumer-focused industries will help our team excel.”
Expressing his enthusiasm, Holmes stated, “I’ve admired Disney’s exceptional position in the industry for many years. As a lifelong fan of the brand, I’m thrilled to join Disney and lead direct-to-consumer efforts in EMEA after a rewarding decade at Sky. I’m eager to collaborate with Jan, Joe, and their talented teams as we embark on the fifth year of Disney+ and share Disney’s remarkable storytelling with an even broader audience.”
