Luis Villanueva

Luis Villanueva is a television and entertainment executive who has worked in the Latin American and U.S. Hispanic entertainment markets. He is currently President and CEO of SomosTV LLC, a Pay TV company in the United States, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.

Background

Villanueva is a (Venezuelan/American) born in 1957. There he attended the Andres Bello Catholic University where he received an MBA in Finance. He started a career in finance eventually becoming the Finance Manager of Banco Consolidado in Venezuela.

In 1982, Villanueva joined the Cisneros Group where he worked for 26 years. While there, his positions included Head of Operations for Venevision Venezuela, Corporate Vice President of Finance and Development, President and CEO of Venevision Chile, and President and CEO of Venevision International.

At Venevision, he diversified the firm from a TV content distributor, into an more comprehensive entertainment company. He led Venevision International to become the first distributor of films originally produced in Spanish for the Hispanic Market via theatrical, pay-per-view, home video, cable TV and free TV. He launched the 24-hour Pay TV channel ViendoMovies and expanded Venevision International to the international music business by creating the music labels VeneMusic and Siente Music and organizing live concerts internationally. Villanueva also expanded the TV programs production business with Venevision International Productions, making telenovelas, talk shows and other content aired by US and international broadcasters. Under his leadership the firm expanded into the wireless entertainment industry and the audiobook market with VeneMobile, Latcel, Fonolibro and the online portal NOVULU.

Villanueva is director of The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences which presents the Emmy Awards and was on the Board of Trustees for the Latin Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences (LARAS) which presents the Latin Grammy Awards. Villanueva has been a trustee of Palmer Trinity School a private education institution.

Awards and honors

In March 2002, Villanueva was given the keys to the City of Miami, a merit given by the City to Venevision International for their exceptional contribution to the arts and culture of the local community. Villanueva also received two of the highest honors bestowed by the Venezuelan government, the Order of Diego Losada (First Class) and the Order of Francisco de Miranda (Second Class).