Richard Plepler

Richard Plepler is Chairman and CEO of Home Box Office, Inc., responsible for the overall management of the world’s most successful pay TV service, which provides the two television networks – HBO and Cinemax – to 142 million subscribers in over 60 countries and its programming into over 150 countries worldwide. He was named to this position in January 2013. During his tenure as CEO, Plepler implemented a distribution strategy that stressed optionality for potential HBO subscribers. By expanding the HBO service offerings with the creation of HBO NOW®, the company’s standalone streaming service, and with new digital distributors such as Amazon Channels, Apple, Roku and Hulu, HBO experienced the largest growth in the company’s history. The multi-lateral approach included international operations as well with standalone services now available across HBO’s footprint in Central Europe, Latin America, Asia, the Nordic countries and Spain. At the same time, HBO has significantly increased indigenous programming in these regions that is incredibly popular among local viewers. HBO curates over 3000 hours of content on its platforms, including original series, documentaries, HBO Films, and HBO Sports. As Co-President from 2007 to 2012, Plepler greenlit some of HBO’s most successful series including Emmy® Award-winners Game of Thrones, Girls, and Veep as well as True Blood, Boardwalk Empire and The Newsroom. Plepler, who joined HBO in 1992, has received numerous accolades over his career: he has been inducted into the Cable Hall of Fame by The Cable Center (2018) and Broadcasting and Cable magazine’s Hall of Fame (2013). Plepler serves on the Board of Directors for the Council on Foreign Relations and the Board of Trustees for the Museum of the Moving Image, the Asia Society and the New York Public Library. He also serves on the National Advisory Board of the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research. Plepler resides in Connecticut with his wife Lisa and daughter Eden.