Mark Smith Joins Discovery as VP, Strategy and Mergers and Acquisitions

January 20, 2010

(London) Mark Smith has joined Discovery Networks International in London as Vice President, Strategy and Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A).

Mr Smith will report into Catherine Mullen, Senior Vice President, Strategy & Digital Media, Discovery Networks International. He will take the lead on business development opportunities for Discovery's International business which has revenues of over $1 billion and is one of the fastest growing International media businesses with global network reach of over 170 countries.

Mr Smith joins Discovery from Reed Elsevier, the publishing and information business, where he was responsible for their M&A activity including the acquisition of Seisint, a US based information management business. He was at Reed Elsevier for over five years.

He also spent more than eight years working with both Lehman Brothers and UBS. At Lehman Brothers, Mark was part of a team that advised a number of prominent US media/cable companies including Liberty Media.

Catherine Mullen, Senior Vice President, Strategy & Digital Media, Discovery Networks International, said: "Mark has extremely strong business development skills from both a strategic and investment banking perspective. Our International business is one of the fastest growing amongst the media sector and Mark's experience and business acumen will be an important addition as we grow the business further."

Mark has a BA in political science from Harvard University and an MBA from the JL Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.

About Discovery Networks International
Discovery Communications is the world's number one non fiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 170 countries. Discovery empowers people to explore their world and satisfy their curiosity through 100-plus worldwide networks, led by Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, Discovery Science and Discovery HD, as well as leading consumer and educational products and services, and a diversified portfolio of digital media services including HowStuffWorks.com. Discovery Networks International distributes 18 international brands, reaching 946 million cumulative subscribers with programming available in 35 languages. For more information please visit www.discoverycommunications.com.