Digital chief Orestes Aja replaces Mar Martínez-Raposo as head of Atresmedia Internacional
Atresmedia Internacional has appointed Orestes Aja as its new head, replacing Mar Martínez-Raposo, who is stepping down as director after 36 years at the company.
Martínez-Raposo joined Atresmedia before the launch of Spain’s first private television channel, Antena 3, working in the news department as a journalist.
In 1996, she was responsible for launching and managing the international signal, followed by the creation of two other national digital terrestrial channels: Neox and Nova. She later led the launches of international channels Atreseries (2015) and Atrescine (2018).
Martínez-Raposo will remain with the group during the transition period. She said: “It is a great honour to be part of Atresmedia and to have had the opportunity to launch important projects. It’s been a lifetime of professional experience.
“In recent years, we have been preparing for the transition, so everything will proceed as smoothly as possible. I am also proud to have trained excellent professionals who will carry on the work.”
Aja has more than 15 years of experience in the audiovisual industry and previously led Atresmedia’s digital and streaming division, which he will continue to do alongside his new responsibilities, with a particular focus on consolidating pay TV channels and expanding Atresplayer.
He recently spoke to C21 about the role the Spanish broadcaster’s digital platform plays in its global distribution strategy and how its relationship with YouTube is changing.
“I take on this new challenge with enormous enthusiasm and deep gratitude to Mar Martínez-Raposo and Javier Nuche for their trust. It is an honour to take the reins of such a solid and well-built era and to continue a key project in Atresmedia’s international positioning,” said Aja.
“My priority will be to continue defending and strengthening a robust traditional business, with Antena 3 as the leading Spanish-language brand, present on the main pay TV operators, while we promote Atresplayer as a strategic driver of Atresmedia International’s growth.”
Javier Nuche, CEO of Atresmedia Diversification, which oversees Atresmedia International, said: “Mar is a true pioneer of pay television in the Spanish-speaking market and her career has been filled with successes, taking Atresmedia’s international channels to heights that seemed impossible.
“Her long and fruitful career has been extraordinary, and I am deeply grateful for her work and leadership. It has been a pleasure to collaborate with her.
“Orestes is the natural successor to Mar, with whom he has worked closely for the last 10 years, playing a fundamental role. His product vision, experience in D2C and B2B, commercial skills and deep understanding of new distribution models make him the ideal candidate for the position.”
