YULIA POLTORAK
INTERNATIONAL CONSULTING
With over 20 years of experience driving international expansion for leading global brands, I bring a unique blend of strategic insight, commercial acumen, and hands-on execution.
Whether you’re launching a new streaming service, entering new markets, or rethinking your content distribution strategy — I help you connect the dots between vision, partnerships, and results.
How I can help:
- International Business Development
- Content Licensing & Distribution (Traditional, SVOD, AVOD, FAST)
- Global Negotiations & Deal Structuring
- Go-To-Market Strategy
- P&L Optimization
- Talent & Team Development
- Leadership Coaching and Organizational Growth
I hold a Ph.D. in Sociology from the University of Pennsylvania and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management.
Home Entertainment
Content Distribution
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Local Vs GlobalBeing intentional about international expansion is key. It may be a long haul, yet the one which will bring results if done right:- Bringing a product to a new market is like transplanting a plant into foreign soil. It needs nurturing.
- The key factor in getting this balance right is the management.
- International professionals play the role of both an interpreter and an advocate.
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What is in Your DNAEvery company has its own DNA - the roots of its business, the strength, the key competitive advantage, the founding history, its RAISON D'ETRET.- Stay within your strength
- In 2025, entertainment industry is rediscovering its roots. Content companies will refocus on creating compelling new stories (including the ones emerging from the creator economy), while distribution companies concentrate on innovating the ways content reaches consumers.
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The Windowing of It AllContent Distribution professionals are returning to sophisticated windowing.- Distribution role is to achieve optimal monetization for content creators by integrating various new distribution technologies and platforms
- The complexity increases when factoring in international markets, making it a multi-dimensional chess game
- While DTC remains a powerful channel, it is just one among many, similar to a flagship retail store. It's valuable to have, but cannot replace the entire strategy.
- With growth of creator economy and AI-generated content, content availability will surge and require strategic distribution with smart windowing playing a central role.
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PartnershipsDeal-making with partners is now more multi-faceted than ever. And crafting deals that provide fair value-exchange and are future-proved is both the art and science of content distribution. And this is more vital in international markets than in domestic. Why?- Consumers tend to trust local platforms which often bundle services into attractive triple-play offers and provide familiar billing
- The Beginning: Sociology
My fascination with how societies evolve began in my teens in Russia and led me to the University of Pennsylvania, where I earned a Ph.D. in Sociology. Though I eventually moved beyond academia, I continued teaching at the London School of Economics’ branch in Moscow while launching my consulting career.
- The Foundation: Consulting
Returning to Russia in the late 1990s, I was conducting research for the Wharton School when Price Waterhouse invited me to join its consulting group. Over the next six years, I advised clients across industries—oil and gas, banking, state enterprises, and media. One media project sparked an instant passion for the industry, and from then on, there was no turning back.
- Present: Media and Entertainment
Media and entertainment have been my passion—driven by a belief in the power of storytelling and the dynamic between creativity and business.
My expertise was shaped through leadership roles at Disney, Roku, and Paramount, each offering a unique lens on global content distribution and strategy.
When not travelling (which I enjoy very much), I have three passions in my day-to-day life:
- Films and theater. I am in awe of both forms, specifically of the miracle it takes to create collective works of art. NYC is the right place for experiencing all of it.
- Cooking. I love making new recipes and inviting my wonderful 25-year-old son and my friends to taste them (they don’t always love it!).
- Schnauzers. I have been a proud mom to four of them over the years — and currently to Elvis, who is 3 years old.
+1-818-331-0679 (CELL OR WHATSAPP)
