John Penney Tapped for Horse & Country TV Board

By Variety Staff

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Equestrian sports network Horse & Country TV has tapped John Penney for its board of directors.

Penney was previously executive VP of consumer development and strategic partnerships at 20th Century Fo, where he was responsible for new business initiatives and partnerships. Before that he was chief strategy officer of Lionsgate-owned network Starz and chairman of Starz Pay Arabia, which operates in the Middle East and North Africa. Penney has also worked at HBO, IMG and Viacom.

“We are delighted that John has agreed to join the H&C Board,” said Horse & Country TV CEO Heather Killen. “At a time when we are making great strides in expanding our portfolio and our subscription business, his knowledge and expertise in this area will turbo-charge our efforts.”

“I’m father to a dedicated equestrian daughter so I know the sector, the passion it inspires and, most importantly, the scale of the opportunity,” said Penney, who started his career as a banker and equity research analyst. “I’m looking forward to bringing my skill set to bear on a fascinating business at a key phase in its development.”

H&C is based in London and available via connected TV, mobile and web subscriptions in the U.S., U.K, Ireland, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden and Australia. The company recently acquired EQ Sports Net. H&C is available via Apple TV, Android TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, and Amazon Prime Video.