NBCU Taps Lori Conkling For Cross-Platform

Lori Conkling has Joined NBCUniversal as EVP of strategy and business development for a newly-formed area of the company focused on the monetization of cross-platform content, driving innovation and architecting a digital strategy across mobile, social and the Web. She reports directly to Lauren Zalaznick, EVP, NBCUniversal, who was recently promoted to lead the group. Conkling joins from A&E Networks, where she was EVP of distribution.

“Lori is a key hire for the company’s newly dedicated effort to drive growth through monetization of our innovative content across all platforms in new and transformative ways,” said Zalaznick. “She brings high level, macro thinking and a deep understanding of today’s consumer and customer landscape. Connecting NBCU’s great content with new ways to build and monetize audiences, will move the needle on the company’s key strategic priorities.”

Working collaboratively with leaders across the company’s multiple business units, Conkling is charged with developing a business strategy for NBCU’s new and existing digital businesses, with a particular focus on mobile. Conkling will also focus on analyzing the impacts of the company’s existing content windowing, and will move the agenda forward on content measurement in relation to advanced advertising. 

During her five-year tenure at AEN, Conkling oversaw distribution strategy across multiple platforms for the company’s 10 networks, including A&E, History, Lifetime Television and LMN, which she grew to 85 million U.S. subscribers. She also directly oversaw field sales and national accounts in the U.S. and Canada.

Prior to joining AEN, Conkling was VP, national accounts at Disney and ESPN Media Networks. While there, she was responsible for executing complex, multi-product national distribution deals for linear channels, VOD, pay-per-view services, broadband products and interactive television applications. In addition, Conkling was a member of the team that successfully launched ESPNU.   

Earlier in her career, Conkling worked in the media and entertainment strategy practice at Accenture (formerly Andersen Consulting), specializing in analyzing and developing corporate strategies for publishing, film and telecommunications companies. 

Conkling received a B.S. in business administration from the University of Southern California and a MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. She also is a member of Class 12 of the Betsy Magness Leadership Institute, WICT’s training program for executive women in the telecommunications industry.