Soumya Sriraman, most recently head of Amazon’s Prime Video Channels, has been hired by Qurate Retail Group, the parent company of QVC and HSN, as president of streaming.
In the newly created role at the John Malone-controlled company, Sriraman will lead Qurate Retail’s streaming commerce business, which includes the QVC+ and HSN+ streaming services and QVC’s and HSN’s expanding presence on digital livestreaming TV. Sriraman joins the company effective Sept. 7, reporting to Mary Campbell, president of vCommerce Ventures (the business unit that operates the company’s streaming service).
Sriraman spent two years leading Amazon’s Prime Video Channels in the U.S. and exited the role this summer, as first reported by PvNew. She was in charge of the business that sells add-on subscription services for Paramount+, Discovery+, Starz, PBS and others to Amazon Prime members. Prior to Amazon, Sriraman was the founding CEO and president of streaming service BritBox, formed by the BBC and ITV. Before that she served was EVP of franchise and digital enterprises at BBC Studios and held senior positions at Tartan, Vivendi Universal, Warner Bros. and Universal Studios.
In addition, Qurate Retail announced that it has hired Stacy Bowe, who previously held senior merchandising positions at G-III Apparel Group and Macy’s, as chief merchandising officer for QVC U.S., effective Sept. 6. For the full-year 2021, QVC U.S. represented approximately 75% of Qurate Retail’s $8.3 billion in video-commerce revenue in the U.S. (with HSN representing the rest).
“These appointments reflect Qurate Retail Group’s ability to attract the most accomplished and ambitious executive talent in retail,” David Rawlinson, president and CEO, Qurate Retail, said in a statement. “Our vCommerce teams – QVC, HSN and vCommerce Ventures – are disrupting video shopping and we believe we have a right to win in this growing industry… We’re pleased to welcome Soumya and Stacy to our team.”
Viewership of Qurate Retail’s QVC+ and HSN+ has grown by more than 70% to about 600,000 monthly active users, according to the company. The growth has largely been fueled by multiple content and programming initiatives, including several dozen new programs and themed channels.
On linear TV, QVC’s and HSN’s channels are available in 92 million U.S. homes via cable and satellite TV operators, free over-the-air TV, and digital livestreaming TV. In addition to QVC and HSN, Qurate Retail’s brands are Zulily, Ballard Designs, Frontgate, Garnet Hill and Grandin Road.
