Endemol North America, the studio behind “Big Brother” and “Wipeout,” among others, has tapped 51 Minds CEO Cris Abrego and Original Media CEO Charlie Corwin as co-chairmen and co-CEOs of the company.
The appointments, which go into effect immediately, come after news in September that Endemol North America chairman and CEO David Goldberg will step down at the end of the year. Goldberg will remain on as Abrego and Corwin transition into their new positions.
Also read: Endemol North America Chairman and CEO David Goldberg to Step Down
Abrego (pictured above) and Corwin will be responsible for all of Endemol’s North American operations, which include Authentic Entertainment, Endemol Studios, True Entertainment as well as Abrego and Corwin’s companies. They will focus on accelerating business expansion across network television, cable and digital video while further increasing output in both scripted and non-scripted programming
Abrego’s 51 Minds, which he founded in 2003, is responsible for series such as “The Surreal Life” and “Flavor of Love.”
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Corwin (pictured left) has a TV portfolio that includes “LA Ink” and “The Rachel Zoe Project.”
“Charlie and Cris are world class creative entrepreneurs who have built their respective companies through the creation and production of great, must-watch content during their time within Endemol,” Endemol Group president Tim Hincks said. “They combine energy, ambition and vision with an understanding of the values that define Endemol. We couldn’t ask for stronger candidates to lead our North American operations into a new phase of accelerated growth and creativity.”