Minivela, the first bilingual vertical shorts platform serving the U.S. Hispanic and Latin American markets, has appointed media industry veteran Manny Ruiz as Chief Executive Officer. Ruiz, who previously served as Minivela's Chief Content Officer, will now lead the company's strategic growth as it scales to become the leading producer of vertical shorts for these key demographic markets. The leadership transition comes at a critical expansion phase for Minivela following its recent partnership with Nueva Network, which has strengthened the company's distribution capabilities, sales operations, and advertiser reach across Latin markets.
Angela Sustaita-Ruiz, CEO of Brilla Media, Minivela's parent company, emphasized that the evolving distribution and content strategy requires Ruiz's innovative leadership and focus. Ruiz brings substantial media experience to his new role, having co-founded Brilla Media and previously served as CEO of Hispanicize. His 25-year career also includes founding, leading, and later selling Hispanic PR Wire and Hispanicize, providing him with deep industry connections and market understanding that position him to drive Minivela's next phase of development.
Under Ruiz's leadership, Minivela is developing an ambitious slate of original short dramas designed to reflect the bilingual, bicultural experiences of modern Latino audiences in the U.S. and abroad. The platform has distinguished itself through unique vertical drama formats that combine the emotional storytelling of telenovelas with the viral engagement of short-form digital media. This content approach represents a significant evolution in how Latino stories are told and consumed across digital platforms.
The second stage of Minivela's development focuses on scaling operations and building partnerships across producers and even competitors who need the content, production, and adtech capabilities the company is developing. Ruiz described this collaborative approach as both fascinating and liberating for Minivela, noting the potential to impact creative careers, brands, and businesses throughout the industry. This strategy positions Minivela as not just a content creator but as an infrastructure provider for the broader digital media ecosystem serving Latino audiences.
Minivela's content is accessible free on all social media platforms, including Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok @MinivelaTV, as well as through adtech conglomerate Numatec's distribution partnerships at https://www.numatec.com. The company represents a joint venture between actor Carlos Ponce, Brilla Media, and Numatec, featuring advertiser and content partnerships with Nueva Network at https://www.nuevanetwork.com and strategic exclusive production partnerships with Chicano Hollywood on the West Coast. The appointment signals Minivela's commitment to capturing the growing market for vertical short-form content that resonates with young, multicultural viewers who seek entertainment that reflects their cultural experiences and social connections.
