Executive Bios




Paul Yanover
Executive Vice President and Managing Director
Disney Online

Paul Yanover is executive vice president and managing director of Disney Online (DOL), the business unit of the Walt Disney Internet Group (WDIG) that produces the number one entertainment destination for kids and families on the Web. He oversees all of DOL's strategic, creative, technical and marketing initiatives surrounding the presence of the Disney brand on the Internet, including the flagship site, www.disney.com; a large portfolio of divisional Web sites for The Walt Disney Company (TWDC); and a network of family-targeted sites including Disney Family.com (www.family.com), FamilyFun.com, Wondertime.com and iParenting.com.

Yanover also oversees Disney Online Studios, the development and publishing group within Disney Online that produces an acclaimed suite of premium online products and virtual worlds including Pirates of the Caribbean Online and Disney Fairies Pixie Hollow.

Yanover is a seasoned technology executive who has held senior positions with Walt Disney Studios and Buena Vista Games and was awarded a Walt Disney Company "Inventor Award" in 2007. Before taking charge of Disney.com, Yanover served as senior vice president and general manager for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Online (www.DisneyParks.com), the online Web activities, e-commerce, online attractions and marketing site representing The Walt Disney Company's theme parks and resort hotel properties worldwide.

During his tenure the Web site's e-commerce revenues more than tripled, and he introduced several major innovations including the first online game connected to a real-world theme-park attraction.

Yanover began his career with Disney in 1991 with Walt Disney Feature Animation, ultimately becoming vice president of technology and digital production for the group. There, among other duties, he was charged with the development of Disney's Digital Studio, an all-digital animation studio designed from the ground up. His credits there included Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King and Dinosaur, the studio's first all CGI character animation film, among others. In addition, Yanover served as senior vice president of the Buena Vista Game Entertainment Studio, a Disney business unit that was founded to exploit emerging opportunities in the PC, video game and online entertainment businesses.

In 1999, Yanover left Disney to co-found Ceiva Logic, Inc., a consumer electronics company featuring Ceiva, the world's first Internet-connected digital picture frame and digital picture-sharing network. As Co-CEO, he was responsible for all aspects of the business including product development, marketing, sales and finance. The company raised over $24M in capital, exceeded $5M in sales and achieved national distribution in major retailers within 18 months of launch. He re-joined Disney in 2002.

Yanover holds a master's degree in computer science from the University of Southern California and double honors bachelor's of science degrees in computer science and economics from the University of Western Ontario. He resides in Los Angeles with his wife and two daughters.

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