Disney TV Comms Chief Naomi Bulochnikov-Paul Exits After 8 Years

Disney TV communications chief Naomi Bulochnikov-Paul is set to exit her role after eight years at the entertainment giant. Bulochnikov-Paul, who serves as EVP of communications for Disney Entertainment Television, told staff in a Wednesday memo that she’ll be leaving Disney to “pursue a new opportunity.” Her exit comes following that of Eric Schrier, who will exit his role as Disney’s president of direct-to-consumer international originals, strategic programming and emerging media, which followed news of Adam Smith’s promotion to Disney Entertainment direct-to-consumer chairman. In her role, Bulochnikov-Paul oversaw Disney’s suite of brands, which includes ABC Entertainment, ABC News, Disney Kids & Family, Disney Television Studios, FX, Hulu Originals and National Geographic Content. She was also responsible for communications for platform distribution and Disney Global Advertising. Bulochnikov-Paul first joined Disney as Freeform’s VP of communications, though moved over to ABC Entertainment when she was promoted to the network’s SVP of publicity and communications. Her role was then expanded to lead communications across Disney Entertainment TV as well as executive comms for Disney Entertainment co-chairman Dana Walden. “There is so much I will carry with me from my time here, but nothing more meaningful than the privilege of leading this incredible, powerhouse team,” Bulochnikov-Paul said in the memo. “Together, we’ve navigated defining moments for our company, championed our talented leaders and creators, and helped our shows and stories break through and become part of the culture. We’ve also weathered our share of challenges and met every single one of them with sound judgment, creativity, resilience and most importantly, a real commitment to one another. And somehow – through it all – we always managed to make the impossible look entirely planned.” In a memo to staff, Disney Entertainment Television chairman Debra OConnell called Bulochnikov-Paul a “wonderful partner.” “She’s a thoughtful leader who has cultivated an awesome comms team that we’ve come to rely on and trust — and we all know that’s something that’s earned,” OConnell said. “Naomi’s expertise as a communications strategist has been vital to us as we’ve navigated so much together over the past few years.” “While we will certainly miss Naomi, I’m excited for what’s ahead for her and know she will bring the same combination of talent, integrity and heart to whatever comes next,” she said.