Diego Lerner

As president of Latin America for The Walt Disney Company’s Direct-to-Consumer & International (DTCI) segment, Diego Lerner leads Disney’s businesses in the region, working to capitalize on today’s rapidly changing media landscape and more closely align with the Company’s priorities for future growth. He oversees the creation of high-quality content, technological innovation, global expansion and distribution in all its formats, business models and media, including direct-to-consumer distribution. Additionally, Lerner works in close partnership with the Disney Parks, Experiences and Products segment, supporting this business in the region.

From 2009 to December 2017, Diego Lerner served as president, The Walt Disney Company EMEA, where he oversaw all of Disney’s lines of business in the region except ESPN and Disneyland Resort Paris. During his tenure, the EMEA business grew significantly and had continuous improvement in the consumer affinity for its brands. Lerner reshaped the organization to generate greater local relevance for Disney across the diverse range of consumers in the region’s more than one hundred countries.

Prior to this role, he held a similar position for 10 years in Latin America, where he consolidated all Disney activities in the region, expanding existing operations and creating new businesses. Under his leadership, from 2000 onwards he was responsible for establishing and consolidating the company's paid TV business in the region and launching all Disney Channels in Latin America. Lerner was also instrumental in the creation of a new strategy for the development of local content, starting with Patagonik Film Group (1997), the leading film production company in South America. Before that, Lerner was president of The Walt Disney Studios – Latin America and was responsible for the distribution of all films produced and released by Walt Disney Pictures, as well as the sale and distribution of all home entertainment formats.

Lerner joined Disney in 1990 as executive director of its Video and Pay TV Divisions for the region, setting up new self-distribution operations in Mexico, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Argentina. Two years later he added the Theatrical business to his responsibilities. Under his supervision, Disney achieved undisputed leadership in the region in film, TV, radio, home entertainment, merchandising, and digital entertainment, more than tripling the business in ten years.