BURBANK, Calif.–Preston Padden has been named executive vice president of worldwide government relations for The Walt Disney Company, it was announced today by Michael D. Eisner, chairman and CEO, and Robert A. Iger, president and COO.
Padden has been executive vice president for government relations since July, 1998.
“Preston has done a superb job representing our interests in Washington, D.C. and in interacting with various regulatory agencies including the Federal Communications Commission,” said Eisner.
“He also has worked with governmental agencies and industry associations to help protect against piracy and theft of proprietary entertainment products.”
Noted Iger, “In expanding our businesses internationally, we will look to Preston to maintain quality relations with other governments with which Disney deals.
“His understanding of governments globally and of the nature of governmental interaction with the private sector make him ideally qualified to represent Disney to the governments of the world.”
In his new post, Padden also will help seek to establish globally acceptable technology standards to protect against Internet distribution of pirated films and television offerings. And, he will continue to lead Disney’s efforts to ensure that programming delivery services to the home remain open so that consumers may access the programming content of their choice.
Before taking his most recent position, Padden had been president of ABC Television Network and before that was chairman and CEO of American Sky Broadcasting (ASkyB,) a satellite television joint venture between News Corp. and MCI.
Earlier, he had been president, telecommunications and television, for News Corp., and senior vice president, affiliates, for Fox Broadcasting Co.
Padden holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland and a law degree from George Washington University.