Universal’s Donna Langley Unveils Executive Team
In her new role as Universal Filmed Entertainment Group chairman, Donna Langley on Thursday unveiled several promotions and new appointments to her team.
Peter Levinsohn will continue to serve as president and chief distribution officer, UFEG, overseeing domestic theatrical distribution, global home entertainment, worldwide television distribution, new media and digital strategy, as well as film technology. Levinsohn also will work closely with Universal Pictures International, led by Duncan Clark, who also reports to Langley, as well as continuing to work closely with DWA TV.
Jimmy Horowitz, who has served as president of Universal Pictures since 2010, has been promoted to president and vice chairman, UFEG, maintaining oversight of business and legal affairs, film strategy and the live stage business, while acquiring additional responsibility around production operations. He will continue to work closely with Langley to manage the studio’s greenlight process and will have oversight of Universal’s production partners, including Illumination, Blumhouse Productions, Working Title and Amblin Partners.
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Abhijay Prakash — who had been serving as COO of DreamWorks Animation and before that was COO for Focus Features — is returning to Universal in the role of president, UFEG. He will transition into his new role following the North American release of How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World on Feb. 22 and will be responsible for driving the studio’s strategic and long-range planning, while also overseeing the business operations of UFEG, including finance, business development and administrative functions, while also working with corporate partners to manage day-to-day operations.
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Peter Cramer — who first joined Universal in 2005 and most recently served as president of production — has been named president, Universal Pictures and will be responsible for the creative strategy of Universal’s live-action film slate with direct oversight for creative development and more active involvement in all aspects of production working closely with the studio’s filmmakers.
In a memo to her staff, Langley said, “When I assumed the role of chairman of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, I quickly assessed that we have an incredibly strong leadership team already in place across the larger portfolio. It was important to me to solidify this group in a way that best positions our studio to thrive in the rapidly evolving media landscape, which requires executives who bring expertise and a distinct perspective to the table. As this new chapter for our studio gets under way, I have full confidence in our team’s ability to collaborate across our organization and achieve success together during such a dynamic time for our industry.”
Variety first reported the news.