Hernan Lopez (entrepreneur)

Hernan Lopez is an entrepreneur and media executive known for his contributions to the digital art and podcasting industries. He is the founder and former CEO of the podcast and media company Wondery. From 2011 to 2016 he was the chief executive officer of Fox International Channels.

Early life
Lopez was born in Argentina and moved to the U.S. in his late 20s and holds dual American and Argentine citizenship. He attended business school and holds an Master of Business Administration from the University of Miami.

Fox
In 2000, Lopez joined Fox International Channels (FIC) as Senior Vice President and Managing Director. From 2003 to 2008, he ascended to the roles of President for Latin America and General Manager for the United Kingdom within Fox International Channels. Later, from 2011 to 2016, he held the esteemed position of President and CEO of Fox International Channels. Under his leadership the company reached $3 Billion in annual revenue, growing from $100 million in 2002, by the addition of channels, premium offerings and original productions. In 2011, Lopez helped lead the rollout of high-profile television shows to a global audience, shows included The Walking Dead.

Wondery
Following his tenure as CEO of Fox International Channels in 2016, he founded Wondery, a podcast network that produced shows such as "Dirty John," "Dr. Death," and "Business Wars". By 2019, Lopez listed at least 82 podcasts on the Wondery roster, roughly half of which was original content.

From 2018 to 2020, Lopez facilitated the launch of Wondery Plus (an ad-free, paid subscription option) and the Wondery app. Lopez is credited as an executive producer on TV Series “Doctor Death,” “We Crashed”, and “The Shrink Next Door” along with a number of Wondery original podcasts.

In 2018, Wondery raised $5 million from venture capital firms, including Greycroft, Lerer Hippeau, and Advancit Capital. In 2019, Lopez raised $10 million in a Series B round led by Waverly Capital which funded international expansion, new programming development, and technology investments. On December 30, 2020, Amazon announced it would acquire Wondery under their Amazon Music division in a deal reportedly valued at around $300 million. When Amazon's acquisition of Wondery was completed on February 10, 2021, Lopez stepped down as CEO and was succeeded by Wondery's then COO, Jen Sargent.

Other ventures
In 2021 Lopez co-founded Danvas, a VC-backed startup that brings NFTs and digital art into the real world.

In 2024, Lopez launched management consulting firm Owl & Co, a company that helps media and entertainment businesses. One of the company’s first clients is film and TV studio North Road Co.

Controversy
In April 2020, Lopez was charged with wire fraud and money laundering in relation to attempts to win broadcast rights for Fox Broadcasting Company for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups. Lopez maintains his innocence, the trial was delayed to January 2023. In September 2023, the Brooklyn Federal Court overturned Lopez's conviction and granted an acquittal, citing a decision by the Supreme Court of the United States to overturn the wire fraud conviction of Joseph Percoco, an aide to former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, in May that year.

Awards and recognition
In 2013, Lopez was named the Most Influential International Executive by Television Business International. In 2019, Lopez accepted the iHeartRadio Podcast Award for the Wondery podcast, Dr. Death.

In December 2020, Lopez was ranked on Comparably's list of the Best CEOs of 2020, one of 50 CEO's for small to mid-size companies.

Philanthropy
In 2020 he co-founded The Podcast Academy, the association of podcast industry professionals. Lopez has also served as a GLAAD board member.

In November of 2020, he founded the Hernan Lopez Family Foundation. A 501(c)3 entity that seeks to build greater diversity in leadership. Following the acquisition of Wondery, he announced his departure to shift his focus towards philanthropy through his Foundation.

Personal life
From Buenos Aires, he married Dr. Travis Kidner in 2008. However, Lopez now lives in Los Angeles with his children and husband Scott Velasquez. Scott and Hernan were wed at Hollywood Studios with a performance by Icona Pop.