Time Warner Names Michael Benson Chief Creative Officer, Global Media Group

Time Warner Inc. today announced new leadership for its Global Media Group (GMG), hiring Michael Benson as its Chief Creative Officer and promoting Kristen O’Hara to Chief Marketing Officer. Benson and O’Hara will co-lead Time Warner’s in-house, creative marketing and advertising group, succeeding former GMG head Mark D’Arcy, and will report to Gary Ginsberg, Executive Vice President for Corporate Marketing and Communications.

Michael Benson, Chief Creative Office, Global Media Group, Time Warner Inc. (Photo: Business Wire)

"I’m pleased Mike has agreed to join the Time Warner team. He’s known for his innovation and creativity in the entertainment industry and his broad experience makes him perfectly suited for our group,” said Ginsberg. "Kristen has an innate ability to synthesize consumer insight and complex business challenges to deliver innovative and effective campaigns to clients. Together, I have no doubt that they will strengthen our mission of enhancing advertiser relationships and bring a new era of success to Time Warner’s Global Media Group.”

Benson was most recently Co-Chief of ABC Marketing. He joined ABC in 1998 as Senior Vice President, Advertising and Promotion and became Executive Vice President, Marketing, of ABC Entertainment Group in June 2009. In this role, he oversaw all marketing activities for ABC’s primetime and late night lineups. Benson received ABC’s first marketing Emmy Award in 2009, was named an Entertainment Marketer of the Year in 2008, 2007 and 2005 by AdAge and in 2000 by Brandweek Magazine. Benson is credited with reinventing the marketing vision for ABC and is responsible for the launch of and marketing around ABC’s Modern Family, V, Desperate Housewives, Lost and Grey’s Anatomy amongst other series. Prior to ABC, Benson was senior vice president of promotion and program planning at VH1/MTV Networks.

Kristen O’Hara, who has been with the GMG since 2004, most recently held the title of SVP and Managing Director. She has led innovative campaigns for key Time Warner advertisers including Unilever, L’Oreal and Johnson & Johnson, and was also instrumental in reshaping the group’s identity into a marketing consultancy. Prior to joining Time Warner, O’Hara was Vice President, Corporate Marketing and Sales Strategy at Time Inc. where she forged a strategic partnership with American Express Publishing that led to innovative database marketing solutions. O’Hara held numerous strategic and business development roles at Young & Rubicam Advertising.

In addition to these changes, David Statman has been promoted to Vice President of Creative, GMG, and Amy Swanson Sillan has been promoted to Vice President of Marketing Strategy, GMG.

Time Warner Global Media Group partners with industry leading marketers to create and distribute premium content, applications and experiences that build brands and drive business growth. A catalyst for creativity and collaboration across the company, the Global Media Group offers a unique point of access to Time Warner's wealth of content, media platforms and consumer insights. Through its efforts, the Global Media Group contributes to the growth of advertising revenue across the Time Warner portfolio.

About Time Warner Inc.

Time Warner Inc., a global leader in media and entertainment with businesses in television networks, filmed entertainment and publishing, uses its industry-leading operating scale and brands to create, package and deliver high-quality content worldwide through multiple distribution outlets.

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