Jeff Schell, a veteran Comcast television executive, will make the jump to the big screen to lead Comcast’s NBCUniversal film division, better known as Universal Studios.
According to The New York Times, Schell is taking over operations at Universal, overseeing productions released under the Universal and Focus Features names. The position had previously been held by Ron Meyer, who lead the film division for 18 years.
As Variety notes, Schell began his career with News Corp., helping Fox build its stable of cable networks. However, he left in 2002 when the company was under an SEC investigation. He joined Comcast in 2005, overseeing E!, G4 and other Comcast cable networks.
Since comcast decided to promote within its ranks rather than within Universal itself, the Times notes that this is a sign that Comcast still sees the film unit as a major player. While Comcast has taken full control of the NBCUniversal TV unit, Schell’s new position is the first big move for Comcast within the film unit.
“I have worked with [Schell] for over a decade and have been consistently impressed by his strategic vision, operational focus and energy,” NBCUniversal chief executive Steve Burke said in a statement.
While Schell is moving in, Universal Pictures chairman Adam Fogelson is moving out. While the former movie marketer has seen the studio produce hits like Fast & Furious 6 and Despicable Me 2, he did allow flops like R.I.P.D. to be produced. Donna Langley, who was his deputy, will be promoted to chairman.
Universal is the latest Hollywood studio to see a regime change. Warner Bros. saw a major executive shuffle over the summer.