CBS Corp. Names Hearst, Sony Alum Philip Wiser as Chief Technology Officer

By Variety Staff

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Digital media veteran Philip Wiser has been named chief technology officer for CBS Corporation. He’s tasked with steering strategy and development across all divisions as it relates to technology.

Wiser reports to CBS chief operating officer Joe Ianniello and Jim Lanzone, who is CBS’ chief digital officer and president of CBS Interactive. He replaces Doug Rousso in the CTO role. Rousso recently left CBS after seven years in the role to join MGM.

“Phil brings to CBS a truly unique background as both an experienced Silicon Valley entrepreneur and technologist, as well as global media leader. The holder of 13 patents, he is known for his pioneering work in the online digital music, premium content and OTT industries,” Ianniello and Lanzone wrote in a memo to CBS staffers announcing Wiser’s hire. Wiser starts at CBS on Sept. 4 and will be based in New York.

Wiser has served as global chief technology officer of Hearst for the past six years. He was chief technology officer for Sony Corp. of America from 2004 to 2006. After Sony, Wiser was co-founder and chairman of Sezmi Corp. Earlier in his career Wiser built a pioneering online music distribution platform as the founder and CTO of Liquid Audio.