NBCUNIVERSAL PROMOTES PEARLENA IGBOKWE AS HEAD OF GLOBAL TV STUDIOS

NBCUniversal announced its decision to appoint Pearlena Igbokwe to Chairman, Universal Studio Group. Bonnie Hammer will also take on a new role as Vice Chairman, NBCUniversal. “Over the course of my career at NBCUniversal, I have been fortunate to touch every aspect of the television business and I am ready to take on this new corporate role. It is the perfect next chapter and I am delighted to pass the baton to Pearlena,” said Hammer. “She has a long track record of success and is the ideal person to take the helm of the studio group.”  

Igbokwe will lead the company’s growing global television studio business including Universal Television, Universal Content Productions (UCP) and NBCUniversal International Studios.  She will report directly to Jeff Shell, CEO, NBCUniversal. Hammer’s experience will allow her to influence the creative community and her long-standing commitment to prosocial initiatives in her position. She will continue to report to Shell.  Dawn Olmstead, President of UCP, and Jeff Wachtel, President of NBCUniversal International Studios, will now report directly to Igbokwe.

Igbokwe currently serves as the Vice President of the Hollywood Radio and TV Society (HRTS) board and is a member of the Television Academy Executive Committee. Most recently Igbokwe was President of Universal Television, where she oversaw all aspects of the studio business and achieved record volume for the legacy studio. Prior to that, she served as Executive Vice President, Drama Programming, for NBC Entertainment, where she developed the top-rated new broadcast dramas three out of her four years in the position. She also worked at SHowtime.

As Chairman of the Universal Studio Group, Hammer strategically aligned NBCUniversal’s content business for the global market, unifying Universal Television, UCP and NBCUniversal International Studios under one umbrella. Previously, Hammer, as Chairman, Direct-to-Consumer and Digital Enterprises, oversaw the creation of Peacock, NBCUniversal’s new streaming platform.  Under Hammer's leadership, the company’s cable entertainment portfolio, which included USA Network, SYFY, Bravo, Oxygen, E! Entertainment, Universal Kids as well as Universal Content Productions (UCP), generated record profits and viewership. She also serves on the Board of Directors of eBay, AFI and IAC/InteractiveCorp.“I am extremely pleased to be gaining Bonnie as a trusted advisor,” Shell continued. “Her deep industry experience, impeccable creative instincts and 25-plus years of prosocial advocacy will be immensely valuable to me and our company.”