When Disney ad sales chief Rita Ferro approached Lisa Valentino about leading the entertainment giant’s client and brands solutions team, which had more than 500 people, Lisa knew it would be a big and different role, despite her background running sales organizations.
As EVP of client & brand solutions, Lisa transitioned the organization through the pandemic into a 100% remote workforce, and she’s had to adapt to rapidly changing client needs. When production of new shows and live sports dried up, Disney had to build a library of new content from scratch and reposition its existing content, such as its broadcast of the NFL Draft.
And in the midst of the pandemic, the world once again turned on its head with the murder of George Floyd, sparking widespread anger at racial injustice and police brutality.
In this episode, Lisa talks about how she makes quick adjustments with the world in constant upheaval. She gets into her initial adjustments when the pandemic hit, how Disney’s advertiser clients have responded to the recent social unrest and how she’s rethought diversity in the workplace.
