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Former HBO Chairman & CEO to Head IMG's Global Media Business
17/09/2007 |
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IMG, the world's leading sports, entertainment and media company, today announced that Chris Albrecht, former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of HBO, has joined IMG to head its global media business.
Albrecht will also be a Special Limited Partner in Forstmann Little & Co. He and Ted Forstmann will raise a $250 million fund for investments in media and entertainment content. IMG is the lead investor and other strategic investors will be invited to invest in the new fund.
Forstmann said, "Chris Albrecht is a visionary–not only one of television's greatest creative minds, but also one of its most successful business executives–and we are thrilled to have him join IMG. His credentials are unparalleled. He dramatically increased revenues and profits at HBO while overseeing the development and production of iconic shows such as 'The Sopranos,' 'Sex and the City,' 'Entourage,' 'Six Feet Under,' 'Deadwood,' 'Band of Brothers,' and 'The Wire.' He also oversaw all of HBO's original programming and day-to-day business operations, yielding scores of award-winning documentaries, films, and sports and comedy programs."
Forstmann added, "IMG already has a growing presence in the rapidly evolving global media and entertainment markets and unparalleled international distribution capabilities. Chris will be instrumental in taking IMG to a new level based on his extensive background in creating, developing, distributing and marketing entertainment content, as well as his strong relationships throughout the entertainment community."
Albrecht said, "With a proven strategy, great brand, unique resources and entrepreneurial leadership, IMG is the ideal home for me. I'm looking forward to working side by side with Ted Forstmann and IMG's talented team. Together, we can leverage IMG's expertise, portfolio of assets, and established international content distribution organization to capitalize on the enormous global opportunities in traditional and digital media."
Albrecht spent more than 20 years at HBO, the world's largest premium television company, most recently as Chairman & CEO for five years through May 2007, where he was responsible for the programming and management of HBO's multiple premium networks in the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America. Before becoming Chairman and CEO of HBO in 2002, he spent seven years as president of HBO Original Programming, where he directed all day-to-day operations of West and East Coast original programming for HBO, Cinemax and HBO Independent Productions, and also oversaw HBO Sports and HBO Film Programming.
From 1990 to 1995 he was President of HBO Independent Productions, a business unit which developed and produced comedy series for distribution on HBO and the networks, including 'Martin' and 'Everybody Loves Raymond.' He joined HBO in 1985 as Senior Vice President, Original Programming, West Coast. Previously, he spent five years at International Creative Management, where he signed such talent as Jim Carrey, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Billy Crystal and Whoopi Goldberg. From l975 to l980 he was co-owner of The Improvisation nightclub in New York City. He received a B.A. degree in dramatic literature from Hofstra University.
(Source: imgworld.com)
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