Richard Plepler

Title: CEO, HBO
Years in Cable: 20+
Education: BA in Government
Best Advice: “Never let anyone monkey with your swing.” – Ted Williams

Michael Lombardo

Title: President, HBO Programming
Years in Cable: 20+
Education: Law Degree
Best Advice: Work, work, play, work, work, play.

HBO continues to meet viewers’ outlandishly high expectations with a programming slate that garners critical acclaim and HBO Go crashing audiences. Much of the credit goes Lombardo, who has taken on more responsibility with the departure of Sue Naegle. And with Eric Kessler out of the picture, Pleper will similarly carry more of the load. As several of the network’s longest-running shows entering their final seasons, it’s up to Lombardo and Pleper to keep the hits coming.

Plepler

Oscars or Grammys? Oscars

Favorite Restaurant: Sette Mezzo

Beach or mountains? Beach

Desert island album: Nora Jones, Come Away with Me

My favorite business/motivational book: The Innovator’s Dilemma by Clayton M. Christensen

Lombardo

I watch the majority of programming on this device: TV

John, Paul, George or Ringo? It’s all about George

Twitter or Instagram? Instagram

Favorite Restaurant: Hatfields

Beach or mountains? Beach

Desert island album: Morning Phase by Beck

Favorite TV show as a kid: “The Jeffersons”

The last time I had a good laugh: Today in a meeting with Michael Patrick King

My favorite business/motivational book: The Tipping Point

If someone forced me to cut the cord and only watch 3 over-the-top shows, they would be: “The Voice,” “The Daily Show,” Anthony Bourdain

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