Viacom poaches Fox exec

Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) has hired Fox International Channels’ VP of business planning and development in Europe and Africa to oversee its brands in South Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

As VP, strategy and business development for VIMN, David Urgell Pérez will be responsible for developing new business and expanding the presence of brands including MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central in the regions.

His appointment comes after VIMN last month hired Andrea Castellari from Discovery Italia as senior VP and general manager for Italy, the Middle East and Turkey.

Pérez and Castellari will be based in Madrid and Milan respectively and will report to Raffaele Annechino, exec VP and MD, VIMN South Europe, Middle East and Africa.

In related news, VIMN has hired former AOL Europe exec Joanna Wells as senior editorial director, digital media.

With over 15 years of digital content experience, Wells will be responsible for expanding VIMN’s content output with the MTV News, Movies and Fashion teams based in UK and New York.

Wells is the former European director of lifestyle and entertainment at AOL Europe, where she managed a portfolio of 15 lifestyle and entertainment websites in UK, Germany and France.

Based in London, Wells will report into Philip Bourchier O’Ferrall, senior VP, digital media, VIMN.