Sahar Elhabashi

As Chief Operating Officer of Discovery Networks International, Sahar Elhabashi is responsible for the day-to-day operations of Discovery’s international business, which distributes 18 media brands to 946 million subscribers in more than 170 countries across Europe, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa.

Elhabashi works in partnership with senior management across the division to set strategic priorities and ensure the continued growth of Discovery’s television and digital platforms around the world. She also collaborates with Discovery’s U.S. network groups to represent international interests and leverage content in order to realize economies of scale and develop aligned brands. Reporting directly to division President and CEO Greg Ricca, Elhabashi manages the international strategy, digital media, programming and marketing support, licensing and program sales areas, as well as Animal Planet International.

Elhabashi joined Discovery in September 2007 from MTV Networks International, where she served as Executive Vice President, Strategy and Digital Media from 2001. In this role, she was responsible for multiplatform media strategy and new business development as well as commercial planning and reporting, consumer products and program sales. She oversaw the rapid expansion of MTV Networks’ international digital media business in Europe, Asia and Latin America, including the launch of branded mobile TV channels and broadband services around the world. Under Elhabashi’s leadership, MTV’s international digital reach expanded to include over 50 mobile video platforms, more than 70 Internet sites including 15 broadband services, and numerous interactive TV applications to complement the company’s television networks. Elhabashi also led the team that developed Flux, the world’s first mobile entertainment community, in Japan in 2005, and helped to drive negotiations for the purchase of MTV Networks’ largest international acquisition, Germany’s VIVA Media AG.

Elhabashi joined MTV Networks International in 1992 as Manager of New Business Development for MTV Europe, based in London, and served in a variety of senior posts within the company. Prior to joining MTV, Elhabashi worked as a consultant for the Boston Consulting Group.

A native of Alexandria, Egypt, Elhabashi holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a BS in Economics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She is based in Discovery’s European headquarters in London.