"Facebook’s new U.S. ad sales chief… — a veteran TV sales exec who’s worked at Univision, Viacom and Turner Broadcasting — steps into the role vacated by Tom Arrix in July," reports Cotton Delo of Advertising Age..

The article continues, saying that the newly hired ad sales chief, David Lawenda, will "be responsible for overseeing Facebook’s sales relationships with big brands and agencies domesticaly."

Reports MediaPost in its story about Lawenda joining the social network, says that "In the second quarter, Facebook reported a 53% revenue increase to $1.8 billion, including an 88% gain in advertising sales to $1.6 billion. Mobile advertising made up 41% of total ad revenue, up from virtually nothing at the start of last year."

The story from Ad Age (a sibling publication of TVWeek), adds this statement from Lawenda’s new boss, Facebook’s Carolyn Everson, VP-global marketing solutions:  "[Lawenda] rebranded and launched networks while at Viacom and changed the way marketers thought about Univision as it moved from a multicultural/Spanish-language marketing tactic to a key marketing partner for some of the largest brands in the world. Throughout his career he’s not only managed and led, but he’s brought an entrepreneurial spirit and sense of evangelism to his teams and companies."

Back in 1988 Lawenda was an account executive at DDB Needham on the Hershey Chocolate account. By 1989 he began his 18 consecutive years working on the ad side in cable and syndication, first for Turner and then for Paramount (syndication), ending up with a five-year stint at MTV. 

He was at the MTV networks when TNN rebranded as Spike TV. While at MTV he was responsible for ad revenue of more than $600 million, and the management of three national sales teams.

From there Lawenda, who attended Georgetown University, went to Univision, where he was president of ad sales and marketing for five years, leaving last year. He was in charge of more than 1000 people at Univision, and responsible for annual ad revenues of $2.25 billion. 

David Lawenda