Joe Inzerillo, a key architect of Disney Plus and the company’s other streaming services, is joining SiriusXM as chief product and technology officer.
Inzerillo starts at SiriusXM on Jan. 10, 2022, and will report directly to CEO Jennifer Witz. He will lead a team of more than 1,500 engineers, product leaders and technology professionals. Going forward, Inzerillo also will oversee SiriusXM’s IT and broadcast infrastructure teams.
The company also announced that chief innovation officer Jim Cady, who has been serving as interim head of product development, will retire after eight years at the company. Cady will work with Inzerillo until the end of February 2022 as part of a transition period.
In the new role, Inzerillo will set and lead the implementation of SiriusXM’s product road map, satellite infrastructure enhancements, and technology strategy across all SiriusXM platforms.
Inzerillo most recently was as EVP and chief technology officer of Disney Streaming, where he led all technology aspects of Disney’s direct-to-consumer video streaming businesses, including Disney Plus, ESPN Plus, Star Plus and Hulu.
Before Disney, he served as CTO and a founder of BAMTech Media, originally owned by Major League baseball prior to Disney’s acquisition of a majority stake in the company. During his time with MLB and BAMTech, Inzerillo helped launch the first over-the-top sports offering in MLB.tv, among other notable contributions, such as instant replay, wireless connectivity in all 30 ballparks, and Statcast to the broader sports landscape. BAMTech also powered some of the industry’s biggest streaming services including HBO Now, WWE Network, Eurosport Player, Fox Sports and the NHL. In his roles across MLB, BAMTech and Disney, Inzerillo has worked with and overseen broadcast and satellite technology for both the MLB and NHL networks.
“Joe brings significant experience building and leading innovative digital platforms, and he will be instrumental as SiriusXM continues to evolve and as we execute on our growth strategies,” Witz said in a statement. “We pride ourselves on providing the best content in audio entertainment, and with Joe spearheading our technological advancements, we will accelerate our efforts to develop the best product experiences for listeners to consume our unmatched content both in and out of the car.”
Inzerillo commented, “I am a longtime listener and huge fan of SiriusXM, and I could not be more excited to join this team. Streaming and over-the-top offerings have revolutionized the entertainment industry — and audio is no exception. This opportunity is the culmination of all of my professional experiences over the last 30 years, and one I simply could not pass up.”
Inzerillo began his career in 1987 with the Chicago White Sox and also previously served as the CTO of the United Center, where he worked on behalf of the Chicago Bulls and Blackhawks. Inzerillo currently serves on the boards of directors of Qwilt, an edge cloud application developer, and the Streaming Video Alliance. He’s also a member of the technology committee of the National Academy of Television Arts and Science.
