10 stars leading Google's efforts to build a media and entertainment empire

Susanne Daniels is one of the people responsible for bringing the series "Cobra Kai," to YouTube Premium.

If you're from a certain generation, the show's title is instantly recognizable and may remind you that you once tried fighting your brother while standing on one leg.

The series, which has met with glowing reviews, is based on "The Karate Kid" films, and reprises the lives of two main characters, played by Ralph Macchio and William Zabka.

YouTube Premium, formerly known as as YouTube Red, offers ad-free streaming of all of YouTube's user-generated video. In addition, Premium also offers high-production quality film and TV fare from A-list directors. And that's where Daniels comes in.

She oversees development, programming and production of all of Premium's films and shows. Before Google, Daniels worked on such shows as such shows as Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Dawson’s Creek, and Gilmore Girls at places like MTV, Fox, LifeTime TV and The WB.

Google Play is the online store with the inside track to all those billions of Android users. This, and the fact that sometimes the menu at Netflix is lackluster, has helped make Play a top web retailer.

Jonathan Zepp manages partnerships and business strategy for Entertainment, Sports and News video content. He and his team also drive business and content operations for the Google Play Movies & TV first-party service.

According to a story in Variety, Zepp has helped raise Google’s sales of downloadable film and TV shows, or what is known in the business as transactional electronic sell-through.

Prior to joining Google, Zepp worked at Sony Network Entertainment, Paramount Pictures and Napster. Zepp started out as a corporate and intellectual property lawyer.

Heather Moosnick is credited with helping to create YouTube TV and in this vein the public owes her a debt. One of the factors that contributed to the high cost of traditional cable TV packages was the lack of competition.

Thanks in part to Moosnick and YouTube TV, as well as Netflix, Hulu and all the internet-based multi-channel players, consumers are no longer locked into overpriced cable TV packages.

But if YouTube TV is to succeed, it's up to Moosnick and her colleagues to keep acquiring top content and offering it at a good price.

Moosnick spent 20 years working on digital deals at Viacom, CBS and Warner Music Group.

Ryan Wyatt oversees two businesses at YouTube, gaming and virtual reality.

His team manages global gaming publisher partnerships, top gaming creators, live streamers and Esports Leagues.

Wyatt is one of the people who helped turn competitive videogaming into a spectator sport. He's a well-known former Esports commentator and a former executive at Machinima and Major League Gaming.

Angela Courtin has carved out a niche in sports while working for Google. She spearheaded sponsorship or distribution partnerships with Major League Baseball, the NFL and the MLS Los Angeles-based expansion team, LAFC.

In addition, she helped oversee the launches of the YouTube Originals shows Step Up, Ryan Hansen Solves Crime on Television, Demi Lovato’s Simply Complicated Documentary, and Ellen DeGeneres’ Show Me More Show.

Courtin also made the list for Business Insider’s “30 Most Powerful Women in Advertising.”

Neal Mohan may not have the entertainment industry roots of some of the others on this list, but he is critical to Google's entertainment effort. Mohan is responsible for YouTube's user experience and backbone technology — without him there is no video entertainment. He oversees YouTube on all platforms and devices globally.

Also under his purview are emerging technologies like virtual reality. Products for media partners, content creators and musicians are also part of his portfolio.

Before this, he was responsible for the advertising offerings on YouTube, the Google Display Network, AdSense, AdMob, and the DoubleClick family of programmatic ad platform products.

Malik Ducard oversees business development efforts for the platform’s Learning, Social Impact, Family, Film & TV partnership areas.

Before arriving at YouTube, Ducard worked as senior vice president of digital distribution at the Americas at Paramount Pictures and oversaw distribution of content to digital platforms.

Ducard is a fitting choice to help lead YouTube's family efforts. He is the author of several children's books, including "Henry's Big Win" and "Daddy's Car."

YouTube snatched Christian Oestlien away from Twitter in 2015.

According to a story about his hiring in Tubefilter, Oestlien's responsibilities at YouTube include "building the platform and tools for the next generation of ​video ​creators on YouTube."

He's also one of the leaders of the YouTube TV initiative. A tech and media industry veteran, Oestlien has also served stints at Yahoo, Worldwinner and Vivendi Universal.

Robert Kyncl is likely the prototype for the 21st century entertainment executive.

He's been an integral part of the two leaders in digital video: Netflix and YouTube. Kyncl oversees commercial, creative, and content partnerships for the platform. At Netflix, he helped decide what content the streaming-subscription service acquired.

In his book, "Stream: YouTube and the Rebels Remaking Media," Kyncl wrote that it was YouTube that showed Netflix leaders they should move to an internet streaming model.

Both Kyncl and Netflix are now part of the Hollywood establishment. In Variety’s Dealmakers Impact Report, he was among their “disruptors." He's also been listed In Vanity Fair’s New Establishment List, and Billboard’s Power 100 List.