Disney has named former Googler Adam Smith the new chief product and technology officer for Disney Entertainment and ESPN.

Smith will start at Disney on Sept. 3 and will jointly report to Disney Entertainment’s co-chairmen, Alan Bergman and Dana Walden, and ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro. He is replacing Aaron LaBerge, who left the company earlier this year.

“We could not be more thrilled to have Adam join the Disney team in this pivotal role,” said Bergman, Walden, and Pitaro in a joint statement on Thursday. “We’ve been aggressive in advancing our technological capabilities to better support our world-class media, streaming, and advertising businesses, and Adam brings a bold, consumer-focused vision for the future and a proven ability to effectively lead global teams in implementing ambitious, scalable, and flexible products and technology that will continue to elevate storytelling as the center of the Disney experience.” 

In the role, Smith will lead a global product and technology group encompassing Disney’s entertainment and sports media businesses. He will be responsible for driving the technology strategy, development, deployment, and innovation across the company’s streaming platforms and networks, as well as leading the way on consumer digital touch points, proprietary advertising technology, emerging technologies, and more.

“Disney has built and nurtured an unparalleled portfolio of brands bringing joy and delight to fans of all ages, thanks to a culture of creativity that embraces innovation,” Smith said in a statement. “I believe Disney is uniquely positioned to thrive in the next evolution of media and has made significant progress in a very short time while keeping storytelling front and center.”

Smith was most recently at YouTube, where he served as vice president, product management, leading music and premium as well as subscriptions and commerce since 2016. He spent more than 20 years at Google and YouTube, where he held executive roles across multiple divisions. He also previously held roles at Random House/Bertelsmann.

The news comes shortly after Disney announced its TV upfront close, which was fueled by sports and streaming. In addition, the company will be part of the upcoming Venu Sports streamer, which is launching this fall.