Fernando Szew to Oversee FOX Entertainment Global, the Newly Formed, Centralized Content Sales Division Responsible for FOX Entertainment’s International Distribution and Global Content Partnerships
FOX Entertainment Global’s Inaugural MIPCOM Presence Sets Stage to Unveil FOX-Owned Content to Overseas Buyers, Including New Animated Series Krapopolis and Grimsburg, and Live-Action Comedy Animal Control
FOX Entertainment’s long-term growth strategy continues to unfold with the launch of FOX Entertainment Global, the company’s newly formed worldwide content sales division. FOX Entertainment Global is responsible for further diversifying and monetizing FOX’s rapidly expanding portfolio of owned original programming, it was announced today by Charlie Collier, CEO, FOX Entertainment.
Based in Los Angeles on the FOX Studios lot, FOX Entertainment Global will be responsible for overseeing the international, multi-platform sales and distribution of intellectual property owned and produced by FOX Entertainment and its growing portfolio of in-house production studios, as well as premium content acquired from outside producers. The division will be overseen by Fernando Szew, who has been named CEO of FOX Entertainment Global. He reports to Stefan Reinhardt, President, Production Strategy and Operations, of FOX Entertainment.
Next month, FOX Entertainment Global will formally join the international television sales community with a major presence at MIPCOM CANNES, where the global market will be introduced to FOX Entertainment’s wholly owned animated series Krapopolis, created by Emmy Award-winner Dan Harmon, and Grimsburg, starring and executive produced by Jon Hamm; and single-camera mid-season comedy Animal Control. Krapopolis and Grimsburg are produced by FOX Entertainment’s Emmy-winning animation studio, Bento Box Entertainment, while Animal Control is produced by the scripted production unit, FOX Entertainment Studios.
FOX Entertainment Global will also manage content sales on behalf of MarVista Entertainment, which will continue to be run by Szew and operate under FOX Entertainment as an independent production studio. Tony Vassiliadis, Chief Operating Officer of MarVista, will also serve as Executive Vice President of FOX Entertainment Global, reporting directly to Szew. Moreover, FOX Entertainment Global will collaborate with FOX's current international distribution partners, Propagate Content, Incendo for opportunities in Canada and Sony Pictures Television (Monarch).
“Carefully curated, high-quality storytelling, delivered directly to the international community through FOX Entertainment Global, will quickly become a differentiator for FOX,” said Collier. “This newly formed distribution arm is uniquely positioned to develop customized international partnership opportunities, particularly apropos as so many competing programmers focus solely on vertical integration. FOX Entertainment Global strategically complements FOX Entertainment’s long-term strategy of building a disciplined in-house infrastructure that supports its growing portfolio of owned content.”
“For more than three decades, FOX has displayed a commanding ability to seize unforeseen opportunities and, in doing so, scale its business interests alongside the evolution of the entertainment industry,” added Szew. “Now, with an impressive, growing slate of in-house content, this expansion and formation of FOX Entertainment Global is a clear representation of our building on FOX’s undeniable entrepreneurial spirit and absolute independence to bring value to our creative and platform partners. It’s a thrill and honor to help re-introduce FOX to the global market at MIPCOM Cannes and beyond.”
The formation of FOX Entertainment Global is a key strategic pillar in the new FOX Entertainment’s holistic blueprint of building and expanding its core in-house capabilities and infrastructure. To-date, the company’s owned production divisions include its unscripted studio, FOX Alternative Entertainment, which produces The Masked Singer, I Can See Your Voice and Domino Masters, among others, and international formats such as Ireland’s The Big Deal; FOX Entertainment Studios, which owns the all-new drama Monarch and upcoming comedy Animal Control; Studio Ramsay Global, the production venture formed with Gordon Ramsay to develop, produce and distribute culinary and lifestyle programming for FOX, Tubi and platforms worldwide, including Next Level Chef and the upcoming Gordon Ramsay’s Future Food Stars; Bento Box Entertainment, which produces Krapopolis, Grimsburg, The Great North, HouseBroken and Emmy-winning Bob’s Burgers for FOX, as well as content for Tubi, Apple TV+, Hulu, Netflix and HBO Max, and last year launched the Australia-based Princess Bento Studio; the entertainment platform TMZ, including the hit syndicated magazine programs, TMZ and TMZ Live, and specials for FOX and Tubi; and MarVista Entertainment, which owns more than 750 made-for-platform titles spanning nearly 2,500 hours of programming and provides content to Tubi and a growing roster of the biggest linear and streaming platforms worldwide.
Animal Control is executive produced by Bob Fisher, Rob Greenberg and Dan Sterling; Grimsburg is executive produced by Jon Hamm, Chadd Gindin, Gail Berman, Hend Baghdady, Connie Tavel and co-executive produced by Catlan McClelland and Matthew Schlissel; Krapopolis is executive produced by Dan Harmon and Jordan Young; and Monarch’s executive producers include Melissa London Hilfers, Jon Feldman, Gail Berman, Hend Baghdady, Michael Rauch and Jason Owen.
About FOX Entertainment Global
FOX Entertainment Global is FOX Entertainment's centralized content sales division, providing the worldwide multi-platform marketplace with exclusive access to its diverse, rapidly expanding portfolio of owned original programming and co-production partnerships. A central component of FOX Entertainment’s long-term growth strategy is to fortify its iconic, world-class brand and owned distribution platforms spanning broadcast and streaming with this newly formed business unit responsible for distributing the company’s full portfolio of owned intellectual property, as well as premium content acquired from outside producers.
About FOX Entertainment
With a legacy spanning more than 35-years, FOX Entertainment is one of the world’s most recognizable media brands and a prolific content producer across its iconic broadcast network and both owned and third-party streaming platforms. Known for its independent, innovative spirit and provocative, groundbreaking storytelling, the company was reinvented in 2019 with the formation of the new FOX Entertainment. While maintaining its leadership in broadcast television (9-1-1, The Simpsons, The Cleaning Lady, Hell’s Kitchen, LEGO Masters), the company is actively building a portfolio of businesses and library of owned original content. To date, FOX Entertainment’s long-term growth strategy has included the acquisitions of award-winning powerhouse animation studio Bento Box (Bob’s Burgers, The Great North, Krapopolis, Grimsburg), entertainment platform TMZ, and global production studio MarVista Entertainment, as well as the formation of landmark culinary and lifestyle content venture Studio Ramsay Global (Next Level Chef) in partnership with the legendary Gordon Ramsay. The company also established its in-house unscripted studio FOX Alternative Entertainment (The Masked Singer, I Can See Your Voice, Name That Tune), FOX Entertainment Studios (Monarch, Animal Control) to develop scripted content, and Web3 media and creative technology studio Blockchain Creative Labs.