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 rebranded as USG Audio and USG Graphics.
Additionally, UK-based David O’Donoghue continues as acting head of studio for the international team reporting to UCP president Beatrice Springborn, assuming day-to-day operational responsibilities. Garrett Kemble, UCP’s head of development, will now also report directly to Springborn. Both Gwartz and Nemes will report to Springborn as well.
“Bringing Jen’s diverse expertise to UCP and amplifying the roles for Scott, Garrett and David will allow us to further grow and invest in our content across Universal Studio Group,” Springborn said. “These executives are entrepreneurial, passionate and collaborative and I’m thrilled to partner with them as we get to create with the best of the best.”
Pearlena Igbokwe, chairman of Universal Studio Group, added, “One of the goals of bringing all of our television content businesses under the Universal Studio Group umbrella was to create more pathways to success for our talent roster and open access to IP across all of our studios. I am confident that this new structure will help us accomplish that.”