What you need to know
- Disney has named Google’s VP of engineering as its new streaming CTO.
- Jeremy Doig pioneered key video and compression technologies powering YouTube and Chrome.
- He has spent 18 years at Google after previously working for BBC and Microsoft.
Google’s vice president of engineering, who worked on new standards for online media, is joining Disney’s streaming division as chief technology officer. Jeremy Doig pioneered the compression and video technologies that are found on YouTube and Google Chrome today.
Doig will report directly to Michael Paull, president of Disney Streaming, which comprises Disney Plus, Hulu, ESPN Plus, and Star Plus. He will officially join the company in April after working at Google for 18 years.
“I’m thrilled to be joining The Walt Disney Company at this crucial moment in the entertainment industry,” Doig said in a press release. “The proliferation of streaming services in the market has reached new peaks and there are so many opportunities for technology to push boundaries and create stunning new viewer experiences for Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, and Star+ subscribers.”
He brings more than three decades of experience in online media. Most recently, he led the development of compression approaches for audio and video that power YouTube and Google Chrome.
He also worked at Google on spatial experiences and pioneered protocols that allow consumers to watch content on the best streaming devices.
Prior to that, he held various technology roles at the BBC, The Multimedia Corporation, e-commerce platform Online Magic, and Microsoft.
“Jeremy is a true visionary that has sat at the forefront of making online video streaming possible in his nearly 30-year career at the intersection of technology and media, and we are thrilled to welcome him to the Disney Streaming leadership team,” said Paull.
Doig’s new role at Disney comes as the company plans to expand Disney Plus into more than 50 new markets this year, including South Africa, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates.
According to Variety, Doig will succeed Joe Inzerillo, who helped create Disney Plus and joined SiriusXM as chief product and technology officer earlier this year.
