A+E Networks boosts its creative team

A+E Networks has added three new roles to elevate the company’s brands and marketing strategies.These roles report to Amanda Hill (pictured), chief creative officer, international at A+E Networks, beginning August 31.The A+E Networks international marketing team will be realigned to support specific brands and genres across all territories.  This approach will enable the team to more closely ally with its domestic counterparts and be global champions for A+E Networks brands in all markets.Under the new structure, Anna Priest has been promoted to vice president, global brands, international, and reporting directly to Hill in this capacity. Priest will be responsible for setting the company’s global brand strategies and marketing plans while championing the company’s global corporate social responsibility programs. Priest will also maintain her current duties at A+E Networks UK, overlooking marketing, communications and digital activity, reporting to Heather Jones, SVP content and creative.She joined A+E Networks UK in October 2011 from the BBC where she was head of marketing, superbrands and portfolio, overseeing the channel’s biggest brands.Chris Epple takes on the new role of vice president, franchises and content marketing, international. He will lead content marketing international, providing high level strategic marketing vision and guidance to regionally focused marketing and sales teams. Prior to this role, Epple was VP, partnerships marketing and innovations for A+E Networks. He joined A+E Networks as VP, consumer marketing for History and H2 more than two years ago. Before joining the company, Epple held various brand management, media, digital and social media positions at Pepsi and Kraft, working on some of their biggest brands.Chris Gargani is being promoted to vice president, creative for A+E international. Gargani will lead creative services for international, acting as the key interface for domestic creative teams as well as international teams. Gargani was previously senior director, brand partnerships on-air creative, for A+E Networks. He joined the group in 2013 where he ran integrated marketing & branding for lifetime. Prior to joining the company, Chris was the owner of a creative agency with clients such as ESPN, NFL, ABC, Turner Networks, Discovery Networks and A+E Networks to name a few.“We are raising the international profile of our channel brands and continuing to expand A+E Networks’ business in new and existing territories,” said Hill, “These moves help position our team to bring unified, best in class strategies to our markets, ensuring global impact as well as a more customized local relevance.”