Johannes Larcher and Luis Duran, respectively HBO Max’s general managers of international and Latin America, are set to exit the streaming service as part of the ongoing shakeup at Warner Bros. Discovery, Variety has confirmed.
The two top HBO Max execs are the latest layoffs to surface as a new leadership team is being put in place at the merged behemoth. News of their departures was shared on Thursday with staff via a company memo from JB Perrette, the newly appointed CEO and president of Warner Bros. Discovery Global Streaming and Interactive Entertainment.
Perrette, who previously oversaw international operations for Discovery, was handed the top streaming job by Warner Bros. Discovery chief David Zaslav in April.
Larcher (pictured) joined WarnerMedia in August 2020, and had been overseeing the international rollout of HBO Max, which will mark its two-year anniversary since launching Stateside on May 27, and its one-year anniversary in Europe this spring. The dual U.S.-Austrian national had previously worked for Dubai-based MBC Group.
Luis Duran, who reported to Larcher, had been hired in January 2021 to head up HBO Max Latin America and also came from MBC, where he served as chief commercial officer.
Larcher in April held a keynote session at the MipTV market in Cannes where he played up the importance of HBO Max’s growth outside the U.S. and announced plans for the service to operate in 190 territories by 2026, but skirted the issue of what impact the Warner Bros. Discovery merger would have on HBO Max internationally.
The new Warner Bros. Discovery regional streaming service chiefs reporting to Perrette are Leah Hooper for Europe, Middle East and Africa; Jason Monteiro for Asia Pacific, Juan Sola for Latin America and Michael Bishara for North America.
Earlier this week, Perrette talked up the one-stop shop for entertainment and sport that’s in store for U.K. and Ireland customers via Warner Bros. Discovery’s joint venture with BT Sport.