Longtime HBO PR maven Nancy Lesser has been promoted to executive VP of media and talent relations.
Lesser will now oversee all program publicity efforts for HBO’s drama and comedy series, original movies, miniseries and specials.
A pillar of HBO, Lesser has worked for the pay cabler in publicity and talent relations department for 31 years. She is known for steering its many awards campaigns and for her deft touch with the high-wattage talent that works with HBO. She continues to report to Quentin Schaffer, HBO’s New York-based exec VP of corporate communications.
Lesser began her career at HBO as a senior publicist in New York. She moved to Los Angeles in 1994 to run the West Coast media relations department. Oversight of talent relations was added to her responsibilities several years ago.
Lesser is a fixture at HBO’s star-studded parties, from their glitzy premieres to their standing-room-only annual post-Golden Globe and Emmy awards celebrations. She’s also known for her trademark bun hair style, which makes her easy to spot in a crowd.
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Lesser’s guidance on awards campaigns helped HBO score a grand slam at last year’s Emmys, where HBO claimed best comedy (“Veep”), drama (“Game of Thrones”), movie (“Bessie”) and limited series (“Olive Kitteridge”).
