Manny Ruiz Appointed CEO of Minivela to Lead Expansion in Hispanic and Latin American Vertical Shorts Market

Minivela, the first bilingual vertical shorts platform serving the U.S. Hispanic and Latin American markets, has announced the appointment of Manny Ruiz as Chief Executive Officer. Ruiz, who previously served as the company's Chief Content Officer, will now lead Minivela's strategic growth as it scales to become the dominant producer of vertical shorts for these key demographic segments.

The leadership transition comes at a critical expansion phase for Minivela, following its recent partnership with Nueva Network, which has significantly strengthened the company's distribution capabilities, sales operations, and advertiser reach across Latin markets. This strategic alignment positions Minivela to capitalize on the growing demand for culturally relevant short-form content among bilingual, bicultural Latino audiences in both the United States and Latin America.

Under Ruiz's direction, Minivela is developing an ambitious slate of original short dramas designed to authentically reflect the modern Latino experience. The platform's unique vertical drama formats combine the emotional storytelling traditions of telenovelas with the viral engagement potential of short-form digital media, creating content that resonates deeply with young, multicultural viewers. These productions are accessible free on all social media platforms, including Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok @MinivelaTV, as well as through distribution partnerships with adtech conglomerate Numatec.

Angela Sustaita-Ruiz, CEO of Brilla Media, Minivela's parent company, emphasized that the company's evolving distribution network and content development require Ruiz's innovative leadership and focus. Ruiz brings 25 years of media industry experience to his new role, including founding and later selling Hispanic PR Wire and Hispanicize, demonstrating a proven track record in building successful media enterprises targeting Hispanic audiences.

Ruiz outlined his vision for Minivela's next growth phase, stating that the company is positioned to work collaboratively across the industry. The platform aims to build partnerships with producers and even competitors who need the content production and adtech capabilities that Minivela is developing. This cooperative approach represents a significant shift in the digital media landscape, potentially creating new opportunities for content creators, brands, and businesses seeking to engage with Latino audiences.

The company's expansion strategy leverages its joint venture structure between actor Carlos Ponce, Brilla Media, and Numatec, along with strategic production partnerships with entities like Chicano Hollywood on the West Coast. Combined with Brilla Media's Nuestro Media network, this ecosystem enables brand sponsors to effectively reach audiences across digital, CTV, and other platforms, creating comprehensive marketing solutions for advertisers targeting the growing Latino market.

Minivela's focus on family-friendly digital films that blend entertainment with social connection represents a significant development in the evolution of digital content for Hispanic audiences. By delivering cinematic, culturally resonant drama series through vertical short formats, the platform is positioned to capture the attention of a demographic that increasingly consumes content through mobile devices and social media platforms. This approach could potentially reshape how Latino stories are told and distributed in the digital age, creating new pathways for creative careers and brand engagement in the rapidly expanding Hispanic media market.