NBCU Names Corporate Communications SVP

NBCUniversal today promoted Hilary Smith to senior vice president, corporate communications. In this role, Smith will lead the development and execution of NBCUniversal’s media relations strategy and serve as a principal spokesperson for the company.

She will have communications oversight of all NBCUniversal corporate functions including ad sales, research, digital enterprises, legal affairs, diversity and inclusion, operations, technology, NBC-owned stations and affiliates, as well as cable distribution. Smith will also spearhead internal communications across the company and will oversee the corporate creative agency. She will report to Executive Vice President Adam Miller and assumes the role in January.

Most recently, Smith was SVP of communications for USA Network, where she led publicity for the network’s programming, digital content, marketing initiatives and pro-social campaign. She also served as lead spokesperson for the network, managed talent relations and oversaw the press launches of several breakout series.

Prior to joining USA, Smith oversaw communications for the NBCUniversal Entertainment & Digital Networks and Integrated Media group, which included Telemundo, mun2, Bravo Media, Oxygen Media, Style Media, Sprout, DailyCandy, Fandango and iVillage. She also led consumer and trade marketing, for the company’s Integrated Media business, which encompassed the company-wide ad sales and marketing initiatives: Women at NBCU, Green is Universal, Healthy at NBCU and Hispanics at NBCU. 

Earlier in her career, Smith spent seven years as VP of media relations for the company’s corporate communications department, where she was instrumental in managing the press for several of NBC’s major business transactions, including the NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment merger, as well as the acquisitions of the television networks Telemundo and Bravo. She joined NBC in 1998 as senior manager of public relations for the news magazine Dateline NBC.

Before joining NBCUniversal, Smith was a press manager at CBS News. Prior to her career in television, she worked at Citibank Securities Inc., as a manager of public relations for the bank’s investment banking division. 

Smith graduated from Middlebury College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English.