iHeart Ups Knablein To Chief Product Officer

• iHeartMedia has named Uta Knablein as the company’s new Chief Product Officer for iHeartRadio, succeeding Chris Williams, who recently left the company after a 17-year run.

Knablein brings more than two decades of work in user experience and product innovation to this new position, most recently as Executive Vice President of iHeartRadio’s Flagship Products and User Experience. In her new role, Knablein reports directly to Conal Byrne, CEO of iHeartMedia Digital Audio Group, who noted, “At iHeartMedia, we’re committed to innovation and being on the forefront of this fast-paced industry. Since joining the team, Uta has played a critical role in elevating the user experience through groundbreaking products and features. With her decades of experience and shared values, there is no doubt she is the right leader for our product team. As we look toward the future, we’re thrilled to have Uta’s depth of industry knowledge to keep us on the cutting edge.”

Prior to joining iHeartMedia in 2018, Knablein worked for Nickelodeon Digital, Outbrain, JPMorgan and CNBC. In her most recent role as iHeartRadio’s EVP of Flagship Products, Knablein led user experience, customer experience and research across more than 250 platforms.

“My time at iHeartMedia, working alongside Chris Williams, has been impactful and inspirational — to say the very least,” Knablein said. “We have built an incredibly talented team that continuously strives to deliver a best-in-class experience and industry-leading products, and I’m elated to step into this new role. Looking ahead, we have an ambitious roadmap of new innovations that will continue to build on our robust offering, increase market share and drive growth for the iHeartRadio platform.”