BuzzFeed has hired Eric W. Muhlheim, who previously spent 16 years at the Walt Disney Co., as its new CFO.
Muhlheim replaces Mark Frackt, who departed as BuzzFeed’s CFO in July after more than six years with the company. Muhlheim officially starts at the digital-media company on Oct. 15; he’ll be based in L.A. and will report directly to founder and CEO Jonah Peretti.
Most recently, Muhlheim was CFO of programmatic ad marketplace OpenX Technologies, where he managed the company’s accounting, financial planning and analysis, and business intelligence functions.
At Disney, Muhlheim served as an exec in the media conglomerate’s publishing, corporate strategic planning and consumer products arms of the company. He developed the launch strategy for the Disney English division of Disney Publishing Worldwide and oversaw the expansion of its China-based learning centers. In addition, Muhlheim created the business model for Disney Playmation, negotiated the acquisition of the Muppets character franchise, and helped develop strategy for brands including Disney Channel and Miramax.
“As we continue to diversify our business across advertising, commerce, and studio development, I’m excited to partner with a smart, strategic operator like Eric who knows how to lead companies quickly unlocking new revenue,” Peretti said in announcing Muhlheim’s hire, noting that he’s worked at both fast-growth startups and global media companies.
Prior to joining OpenX in November 2016, Muhlheim was CFO of Helix Education, where he oversaw the acquisition and integration of the Institute for Professional Development. Muhlheim also served as CFO of Altius Education prior to its acquisition by Helix.
Muhlheim began his career as an M&A analyst at Morgan Stanley. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Princeton University and an MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.