Ray Rodriguez will retire as Univision Communications president and COO at year's end.
Rodriguez, who has been with the U.S. Spanish-language media leader for 20 years, will be succeeded as president of Univision Networks by Cesar Conde, most recently executive vice president and chief strategy officer. Moreover, Univison CEO Joe Uva will assume the additional role of president of Univision Communications.
Conde, 35, will begin in his new role on Oct. 1 and will be based in Miami. He will continue to report to Uva.
Rodriguez began his career with Univision, then owned by the Hallmark Network, in 1990. Since that time, he has served as senior vice president and operating manager of the Univision Network, president of the Univision Network, sister broadcast service TeleFutura and cable cousin Galavisión, before assuming his current role as president and COO of Univision Communications.
During his tenure at Univision, Rodriguez oversaw and helped direct Univision to the top spot in Spanish-language television, radio and online here in the States. He also pushed Univision more into the mainstream, where it on many nights outperforms general market networks with viewers, especially among the 18-to-34 set.
"Ray has been an invaluable part of the Univision family and I want to personally thank him for his many contributions to the company's success, as well as for his role in the popularization and proliferation of Hispanic media in this country," said Uva. "His extraordinary vision, commitment to the Hispanic community and innate ability to program our networks with content that resonates with our audience have been instrumental in establishing and growing our clear #1 position and defining Spanish-language news and entertainment as we know it today. I know that I speak for everyone at Univision in wishing him all the best as he enters this next chapter of his life."
Rodriguez issued the following statement: "I am honored to have had the opportunity to lead and serve alongside such a talented, dedicated and innovative group of individuals, beginning with Jerry Perenchio, whose vision and leadership created the foundation for Univision's outstanding growth over the years. I am proud of how the company has grown by leaps and bounds during my tenure, expanding its offerings and platforms while continuing to deliver a superior product and fostering strong community ties with our viewers. With a clear path for future growth, today Univision is in great shape. With this in mind, I have decided that this is the right time for me to prepare to retire from the company. I am more than confident that the company will continue to thrive in the capable hands of Joe Uva and his management team and with the support of the company's owners."
Conde most recently served as executive vice president and chief strategy officer for Univision Communications, and was tasked with spearheading strategic initiatives focused on the growth and profitability across all divisions. He has serving in many roles, including special assistant to Uva; president of Univision Interactive; vice president and operating manager of the Galavisión; vice president of corporate development for the Univision Networks; and vice president of sales and business development at the Univision Network.
"Cesar's intimate knowledge of the communities we serve provides him with a unique insight into the needs of our audience," said Uva. "Having worked alongside him since I joined Univision, I am confident in his ability to oversee all aspects of our three networks and I look forward to working with him in this new role as we strive to further grow our audience and share of overall advertising dollars."
