Dermot McCormack lands senior entertainment role at AOL in the US

Dubliner Dermot McCormack has joined AOL in the US from Viacom as president of video and studios. He succeeds Ran Harnevo, who has left to pursue "other opportunities".

Mr McCormack, a graduate of the Dublin Institute of Technology who has worked in the US for the past 22 years, will lead AOL On, a “curated experience of 14 channels actively programmed with relevant video content”, and BE On, a “global branded content and entertainment platform”. Both are part of AOL Platforms. In addition, he will lead AOL Studios, overseeing the creation and distribution of high-quality original programming.

Once dubbed by Bono as Digital Dermot from Dublin, Mr McCormack will have offices in both New York City and Beverly Hills in California.

He will report to AOL chairman and chief executive, Tim Armstrong, and Bob Lord, chief executive of AOL Platforms.

Speaking to The Irish Times, Mr McCormack, who is 45, said his role with AOL would be to “reinvent the TV channel for the next generation”, across new distribution platforms. “We hope to make some exciting new content,” he added.

AOL is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and has annual revenues of more than $2 billion. Mr McCormack’s unit achieves “multi hundred million dollar” revenues each year.

AOL has 150 staff, based in Heuston south quarter by Heuston station, involved in engineering and technical support.