Years in Cable: 30+
One Word that Best Describes Me: Integrity
Education: MBA, UCLA Anderson School of Business
With the venerable Grossman at the helm, this veteran quintet of executives at HSN continues to keep vibrant the company’s $4 billion direct to consumer portfolio that includes live content retailer HSN and the Cornerstone portfolio of home and family lifestyle brands. Brand has been a transformational leader in the media, retail and entertainment industries for 25 years. He specializes in building strategic partnerships that create meaningful content that drives the business. He has created alliances with global companies including Toyota and Coca-Cola. Under Cotter’s leadership, her team develops cross platform content and executes all launches and partnerships for celebrities and industry influencers. She launched HSN’s first turnkey studio space, The Loft, which is dedicated to creating digital-first content. Over Schmeling’s 22 years at HSNi, she has contributed significantly to the company’s growth and development including taking the company public in 2008. Meanwhile, Ruben oversees cable and satellite distribution for HSN and has been instrumental in launching and leading distribution efforts for HSN Shop by Remote.
The biggest innovation in cable over the last year? Cable operators opening up their video platforms to Netflix and YouTube.
Which TV family is most like your own? The family from “Modern Family.”
My OTT prediction is… Similar OTT companies with no subscription commitments will lead to cable video prices also declining.
What product or service could you not live without? My iPhone.
What does the future look like for skinny bundles and flexible packaging? We are just starting to see the beginning of skinny bundles. It will be one way for all the cable and OTT companies to differentiate themselves while competing on price.
