42, the L.A.- and London-based management and production company behind titles including “The Silent Twins,” “The Girl Before” and “The Flatshare,” has appointed former Universal International Studios exec David O’Donoghue to the position of chief operating office with immediate effect.
O’Donoghue will run the company’s operations and business development globally, in addition to having oversight of business affairs and production across the portfolio. He’ll work from 42’s London office.
O’Donoghue was most recently the London-based head of studio for Universal International Studios, where he was responsible for the division’s business operations and instrumental in its growth strategy, bolstering the studio’s premium producing roster and expanding its co-production business into European markets. He stepped down from the position in early 2023. Prior to this, he was COO and Joint MD of Carnival Films as it grew to become one of the UK’s leading scripted specialists,...
O’Donoghue will run the company’s operations and business development globally, in addition to having oversight of business affairs and production across the portfolio. He’ll work from 42’s London office.
O’Donoghue was most recently the London-based head of studio for Universal International Studios, where he was responsible for the division’s business operations and instrumental in its growth strategy, bolstering the studio’s premium producing roster and expanding its co-production business into European markets. He stepped down from the position in early 2023. Prior to this, he was COO and Joint MD of Carnival Films as it grew to become one of the UK’s leading scripted specialists,...
- 2/20/2024
- by Alex Ritman
- Variety Film + TV
Long-time Universal executive David O’Donoghue is stepping down from his role as the London-based head of studio for Universal International Studios, Variety can reveal.
The executive was promoted to the role in March 2022, reporting into former Hulu executive Beatrice Springborn, who was at the same time appointed president of UCP and Uis.
O’Donoghue was previously executive VP of business affairs and operations for Uis. He was upped to acting head of studio at Uis in September 2020, overseeing international operations following the surprise exit of Jeff Wachtel, and remained in the role until last March.
While working as senior leadership at Uis, O’Donoghue also served as joint managing director and chief operating officer for “Downtown Abbey” producer Carnival Films, which many consider to be one of the crown jewels in the Uis production portfolio, alongside Working Title.
Under Springborn and O’Donoghue’s leadership, Uis has delivered the critically...
The executive was promoted to the role in March 2022, reporting into former Hulu executive Beatrice Springborn, who was at the same time appointed president of UCP and Uis.
O’Donoghue was previously executive VP of business affairs and operations for Uis. He was upped to acting head of studio at Uis in September 2020, overseeing international operations following the surprise exit of Jeff Wachtel, and remained in the role until last March.
While working as senior leadership at Uis, O’Donoghue also served as joint managing director and chief operating officer for “Downtown Abbey” producer Carnival Films, which many consider to be one of the crown jewels in the Uis production portfolio, alongside Working Title.
Under Springborn and O’Donoghue’s leadership, Uis has delivered the critically...
- 1/26/2023
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
Universal International Studios has promoted Ed Havard to lead non-scripted UK programming.
The former Channel 4 Commissioner was previously VP, Creative Partnerships for Universal Studio Group but moves to SVP, Creative, Unscripted Programing to lead on the studio’s non-scripted strategy.
Havard will build on the studio’s “strategic partnerships with creators, producers and on-screen talent to source shows with global scale and appeal,” according to the studio, which owns the likes of Monkey and Matchbox Pictures.
Havard joined then-NBCUniversal three years ago and has already forged a number of non-scripted deals and projects including a groundbreaking tie-up between the division and the BBC to discover transatlantic formats.
Havard will report to Universal International Studios Head David O’Donoghue, who said: “Ed is a highly respected and gifted creative executive, with a flair for identifying great shows with global potential and fostering talent both on and off screen. Under his leadership,...
The former Channel 4 Commissioner was previously VP, Creative Partnerships for Universal Studio Group but moves to SVP, Creative, Unscripted Programing to lead on the studio’s non-scripted strategy.
Havard will build on the studio’s “strategic partnerships with creators, producers and on-screen talent to source shows with global scale and appeal,” according to the studio, which owns the likes of Monkey and Matchbox Pictures.
Havard joined then-NBCUniversal three years ago and has already forged a number of non-scripted deals and projects including a groundbreaking tie-up between the division and the BBC to discover transatlantic formats.
Havard will report to Universal International Studios Head David O’Donoghue, who said: “Ed is a highly respected and gifted creative executive, with a flair for identifying great shows with global potential and fostering talent both on and off screen. Under his leadership,...
- 4/25/2022
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
Universal International Studios has promoted Ed Havard to lead its unscripted efforts as senior VP of creative, unscripted programming.
Based in London and reporting into head of studio David O’Donoghue, Havard will be responsible for leading the studio’s unscripted strategy in the U.K., and building on strategic partnerships with creators, producers and on-screen talent to source shows with global scale and appeal. Havard most recently served as VP of creative partnerships.
In the new role, Havard will be tasked with tapping further into NBCUniversal’s talent roster and IP library, identifying new opportunities to build on the company’s unscripted brands, and fostering more creative partnerships between production subsidiaries Monkey, Matchbox Pictures, the studio’s formats division and Universal Television Alternative Studio.
Havard, who joined NBCUniversal from Channel 4 in 2019, last year fostered a development partnership between the BBC and NBCUniversal to identify and fund ambitious unscripted formats with transatlantic potential from U.
Based in London and reporting into head of studio David O’Donoghue, Havard will be responsible for leading the studio’s unscripted strategy in the U.K., and building on strategic partnerships with creators, producers and on-screen talent to source shows with global scale and appeal. Havard most recently served as VP of creative partnerships.
In the new role, Havard will be tasked with tapping further into NBCUniversal’s talent roster and IP library, identifying new opportunities to build on the company’s unscripted brands, and fostering more creative partnerships between production subsidiaries Monkey, Matchbox Pictures, the studio’s formats division and Universal Television Alternative Studio.
Havard, who joined NBCUniversal from Channel 4 in 2019, last year fostered a development partnership between the BBC and NBCUniversal to identify and fund ambitious unscripted formats with transatlantic potential from U.
- 4/25/2022
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
Universal International Studios has struck a first-look deal with “Call My Agent!” and “Parallèles” writer Quoc Dang Tran as it continues a charm offensive directed at international creators.
Uis has inked a first-look deal with the French-Vietnamese writer and showrunner who will develop and produce English and French-language television projects with the studio for the global market. French-language series will be co-produced with the “Marianne” writer’s recently formed label, Daïmôn Films.
“He really leads from themes that speak to his heart versus responding to the industry, so we’re excited to do business with a creator who listens to their gut instead of just what the network is mandating,” Beatrice Springborn, president of Universal International Studios, tells Variety ahead of a keynote at French TV festival Series Mania.
“That has helped him stand out as someone with a real point of view, [who] is a real visionary.”
Dang Tran added:...
Uis has inked a first-look deal with the French-Vietnamese writer and showrunner who will develop and produce English and French-language television projects with the studio for the global market. French-language series will be co-produced with the “Marianne” writer’s recently formed label, Daïmôn Films.
“He really leads from themes that speak to his heart versus responding to the industry, so we’re excited to do business with a creator who listens to their gut instead of just what the network is mandating,” Beatrice Springborn, president of Universal International Studios, tells Variety ahead of a keynote at French TV festival Series Mania.
“That has helped him stand out as someone with a real point of view, [who] is a real visionary.”
Dang Tran added:...
- 3/22/2022
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
Ex-20th TV exec Jennifer Gwartz joins as executive VP of UCP
Universal Content Productions is shuffling up its structure a bit, adding former 20th Century Fox TV executive Jennifer Gwartz in a senior role and appointing Scott Nemes to head up IP acquisition.
Gwartz, who previously led comedy and drama development at Disney’s 20th TV, will serve as executive vice president of the studio. Nemes will hold the newly created title of executive vice president of creative acquisitions for Universal Studio Group and International Development.
Nemes will launch a division across the Universal Studio Group businesses that will identify and secure rights to books, podcasts, articles and other IP that creatively align with talent deals at Universal Television, UCP, NBCUniversal International Studios and Universal Television Alternative Studio. Additionally, the first-of-their-kind internal IP incubators, UCP Audio and the UCP Graphics imprint, will also live under this umbrella and be...
Universal Content Productions is shuffling up its structure a bit, adding former 20th Century Fox TV executive Jennifer Gwartz in a senior role and appointing Scott Nemes to head up IP acquisition.
Gwartz, who previously led comedy and drama development at Disney’s 20th TV, will serve as executive vice president of the studio. Nemes will hold the newly created title of executive vice president of creative acquisitions for Universal Studio Group and International Development.
Nemes will launch a division across the Universal Studio Group businesses that will identify and secure rights to books, podcasts, articles and other IP that creatively align with talent deals at Universal Television, UCP, NBCUniversal International Studios and Universal Television Alternative Studio. Additionally, the first-of-their-kind internal IP incubators, UCP Audio and the UCP Graphics imprint, will also live under this umbrella and be...
- 5/10/2021
- by Tim Baysinger
- The Wrap
UCP is making a few changes.
The Universal Studio Group division has hired former 20th Television exec Jennifer Gwartz and tasked Scott Nemes to run a new IP focused division.
Gwartz, who was previously EVP, Development at the Disney Television Studios division, joins as EVP of the studio. Gwartz, who left Disney at the end of last year after her position went to Carolyn Cassidy in the recent restructuring, will report to Beatrice Springborn, President of UCP and Interim President of NBCUniversal International Studios.
During her time at 20th Television, she oversaw all comedy and drama development for the studio, selling to both broadcast and streaming platforms. She has produced pilots and series including Veronica Mars and Party Down.
In the new role, the company said she will “guide operational workflows” across production, current and development.
Elsewhere, Scott Nemes has become EVP, Creative Acquisitions, Universal Studio Group and International Development.
The Universal Studio Group division has hired former 20th Television exec Jennifer Gwartz and tasked Scott Nemes to run a new IP focused division.
Gwartz, who was previously EVP, Development at the Disney Television Studios division, joins as EVP of the studio. Gwartz, who left Disney at the end of last year after her position went to Carolyn Cassidy in the recent restructuring, will report to Beatrice Springborn, President of UCP and Interim President of NBCUniversal International Studios.
During her time at 20th Television, she oversaw all comedy and drama development for the studio, selling to both broadcast and streaming platforms. She has produced pilots and series including Veronica Mars and Party Down.
In the new role, the company said she will “guide operational workflows” across production, current and development.
Elsewhere, Scott Nemes has become EVP, Creative Acquisitions, Universal Studio Group and International Development.
- 5/10/2021
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
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