Endeavor is restructuring WME and IMG’s film and scripted TV finance and sales groups to form a new division titled Endeavor Content, it announced Monday.
The new division will bring together WME Global and IMG’s entertainment sales groups which have financed, packaged an/or sold more than 100 films and TV shows in the most recent year — that includes the films “Arrival,” “Hell or High Water,” “La La Land” and “Manchester by the Sea.” In TV, this includes “The Night Manager” and “The Young Pope.”
Graham Taylor and Chris Rice will serve as co-presidents of Endeavor Content, and Endeavor Content partners Mark Ankner, Liesl Copland and Alexis Garcia will continue to lead the group’s advisory practice. All current WME Global and IMG entertainment sales team will transition to Endeavor Content.
Joe Hipps is joining Endeavor as SVP of television, while Negeen Yazdi is joining as SVP of gilm. Hipps previously served as SVP of television for MRS where he oversaw “House of Cards” and “Ozark.” Yazdi previously served as president of international production and acquisitions at The Weinstein Company where she oversaw films like “The Imitation Game” and “Lion.”
“Joe and Negeen have distinguished themselves as executives with impeccable taste and a gift for shepherding high-quality, talent-driven work emblematic of the projects Endeavor Content will support,” said Rice and Taylor.
Gary Marenzi will continue to lead international television sales for Endeavor Content. Endeavor also recently acquired Ken Kao and Alex Walton’s film financing and sales company Bloom, which will not be a standalone company under Endeavor Content.
“With the continued disruption taking place across the media landscape, we are forming Endeavor Content to enable talent to achieve better economics and more creative freedom,” said Graham Taylor. “Through our ability to package content, access capital resources, and engage our global sales infrastructure, Endeavor Content provides a unique platform designed to empower artists and content creators,” added Rice.