NDS Group hires Dave Habiger, ex-Sonic Solutions, as CEO, succeeding Abe Peled, who remains chairman … New America Foundation’s Open Technology Initiative hires Kistine Carolan, ex-Maternity Care Coalition, as field analyst, representing the initiative in the Philadelphia Freedom Rings broadband and computer labs partnership … Discovery names Guhan Selvaretnam, ex-Turner Broadcasting, senior vice president-product, content and operations, Discovery Digital Media … Gannett hires Debra Goetz, ex-NBCUniversal, as vice president of marketing.
Verizon promotes Lowell McAdam to president-CEO, effective Aug. 1; Ivan Seidenberg to remain chairman.
Intellectual property attorney Justin Pierce, ex-Sony Ericsson, returns to Venable’s Washington office as partner … Sinclair Broadcast promotes Mark Aitken to vice president-advanced technology … Nick Toon, ex-Channel 4, becomes Time Warner Ltd. vice president-U.K. public policy … Qualcomm promotions: Avneesh Agrawal to senior vice president and president of Qualcomm India and South Asia; Kanwalinder Singh to senior vice president-business development in the newly created New Markets group within Qualcomm CDMA Technologies.
Lobbyist Registrations: Sprint Nextel, Crowell Strategies, effective June 15 … BT Americas, Crowell Strategies, effective June 22 … Comcast, Mitchell Silberberg, effective April 1 … TracFone, Susan Cassidy, effective May 23 … Dane Snowden, ex-CTIA and FCC, becomes NCTA chief of staff, effective Aug. 22 … Paul Dughi, Cowles California Media, joins NAB TV board … NBCUniversal hires Michael Haggerty, ex-Universal McCann, as senior vice president of research for Bravo and Style media … New board members at Global Eagle Acquisition: Jim McNamara, ex-Telemundo, and Dennis Miller, ex-Sony Pictures Entertainment.
NBCUniversal promotes Frances Berwick to president of Bravo and Style media … Brandon Heiner, ex-USTelecom, becomes CenturyLink director-federal legislative affairs … Vindco online video ad company hires Jes Santoro, ex-NBCUniversal, as senior vice president of sales … Lobbyist Registrations: Comcast, Cabralgroup and Gephardt Group, both effective April 1 … Google, Chesapeake Enterprises, effective April 29 … Netflix, Kountoupes Consulting, effective June 1, and Franklin Square Group, effective June 2 … PCIA, Patton Boggs, effective June 22.
National Regulatory Research Institute Executive Director Scott Hempling to leave in September, returning to private practice; Group of staff, PUC commissioners and NARUC officials to help NRRI become more closely affiliated with NARUC … David Wisnia, ex-News Corp.’s Star TV, hired by CBS as executive vice president of affiliate relations for the TV network … Media Access Project hires Mera Szendro Bok, ex-New Media Rights, as communications and development director, effective Aug. 1 … Lobbyist Registrations: GSM Integrated Controls, Tauzin Consultants, effective June 15.
NARUC nominates Sara Kyle, Tennessee Regulatory Authority, to state seat on North American Numbering Council, replacing Elia Germani, Rhode Island Public Utilities Commission, resigned … Time Warner Cable promotes Jeffrey Hirsch to executive vice president and chief marketing officer of residential services … Lobbyist Registrations: LightSquared, Nethercutt Consulting, effective June 21 … NAB, Advantage Political Affairs, effective June 6 … Google, Bingham McCutchen, effective June 21, and Prime Policy Group, effective June 1 … Comcast, Greenberg Traurig, effective April 1 … Alcatel-Lucent USA, Wiley Rein, effective June 24.
Time Warner Cable names Matthew Zelesko, ex-Joost and Comcast, senior vice president-Web services and technology … Christopher Cylke leaving U.S. Chamber of Commerce to work for MPAA as director of federal affairs, effective Monday … Herb Congdon, ex-TE Connectivity, becomes TIA associate vice president-technology and standards, effective July 25.
Geoffrey Why, Massachusetts Department of Telecommunications and Cable, named to FCC’s Federal-State Joint Conference on Advanced Services … Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., hires Mike Reynard, formerly with office of ex-Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., as communications director, replacing Claude Chafin, who moves to House Armed Services Committee … Shang Bing resigns as China Telecom president to become Chinese deputy minister-industry and technology … Changes at OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network: Oprah Winfrey becomes CEO and chief creative officer; Erik Logan and Sheri Salata move from Harpo Studios to become OWN presidents … Nickelodeon promotes Sergio Cuan to senior vice president-creative director … Arbitron board adds Ronald Garriques, ex-Dell … Jeff Simmons promoted to CTIA assistant vice president-Wireless Internet Development team … Turner Broadcasting System promotes Christina Miller to NBA Digital general manager, replacing Bryan Perez, who recently left to join a sports and entertainment company … NBCUniversal promotes Jodi Kahn to president of iVillage, new position … Chyron hires Joe Foxton, ex-NBCUniversal, as vice president of strategic product architecture, new position.
Canoe Ventures CEO David Verklin leaves at the end of the summer, to be replaced by Kathy Timko, promoted to interim CEO … Qualcomm promotes Matt Grob to chief technology officer, replacing Roberto Padovani, who remains executive vice president … GlobeCast hires Philippe Rouxel, ex-France 24, as chief marketing officer.