HBO & HBO Max SVP of acquisitions steps down after more than two decades

Drive My Car

Warner Bros. Discovery veteran Leslie Cohen is stepping down as SVP of acquisitions for HBO and HBO Max after more than two decades with the company.

Cohen joined HBO in 1994 initially as an analyst before rising to become VP of film programming, working with studios and indies on acquisitions.

She was also behind HBO Latino’s first original Spanish-language series, Epitafios, and developed its music and comedy series, A Tiny Audience, and Entre Nos.

Leslie Cohen

She took on an expanded role three years ago to include oversight of HBO Max, prior to WarnerMedia’s acquisition by Discovery, during which she picked up Drive My Car and movies from A24.

Cohen, who revealed the news on social media, said she would be joining “colleagues and friends as we move on from WarnerBros Discovery to new opportunities.”

“HBO has been my second home – the most amazing work family, simply no better place to grow up. We changed the way people experience entertainment – supporting rising talent, facilitating specific stories to be told in a universal way, helping share what connects us.

“I’m so grateful to have been able, along with my fantastic team, to curate and acquire the best films, shorts, concerts, series and stand-up comedy and help bring this amazing content to SVOD as we launched HBO Max.”

“I’m proud to have helped break ground for so many artists and partners – so many nominated and winning feature, short and concert films, and international series. All while discovering the next wave of emerging talent. What a gift to provide a platform for your stories and voices.”