Participant has tapped Endeavor Content veteran Liesl Copland to step into the newly established role of executive vice president of content and platform strategy, where she will be tasked with designing and implementing how the company’s film and TV slate fits into the global distribution infrastructure.
Copland will oversee all sales and guide the company’s strategic options for all properties, working cross-functionally with exec VPs of narrative film Anikah McLaren and Robert Kessel, and senior VP of global television Miura Kite.
“Participant is an incredible company both in the content it creates and the broader service it provides to the global society as a whole,” said Copland. “I have been fortunate throughout my career to be able to identify new business models and opportunities for content development and distribution and this new role affords me a broad foundation on which to continue to innovate around compelling and important content. I have also been able to touch upon the social and cultural impact space and now at Participant I am thankful to be able to amplify that work which has always been of great personal importance to me.”
Copland starts at Participant on March 15, reporting to Participant CEO David Linde along with chief content officer Diane Weyermann.
“Liesl brings a unique set of skills and experience to Participant that will advance our work in new ways and continue to build our direct relationship with the global distribution community,” said Linde. “Tens of millions of people are now seeing and embracing both single films and series, multiplying that by all that we do as Participant, makes this an exciting moment for the company.” “We look forward to what we know will be an additive new position to our efforts.”
“Having known Liesl for many years as a trusted colleague I am pleased to welcome her to Participant,” said Weyermann. “Her broad skillset, including working closely with creative artists, will prove to be a real benefit to our content creation process.”
Copland, a 25-year industry veteran with a focus on the specialty film sector, was most recently partner and exec VP of Endeavor Content, leading its non-scripted advisory practice and overseeing feature documentaries and premium nonfiction series, as well as advising the studio’s production partners on strategy. She spent 12 years at Endeavor, expanding into TV, international sales and other areas. Copland took over the non-scripted advisory practice at the launch of Endeavor Content and was involved in the studio’s early investments in the 1Community social impact content fund and female-focused MadeUp Stories.
“We are excited for Liesl and our partners at Participant given Liesl’s authentic interest for all things purpose driven,” said Chris Rice and Graham Taylor, Endeavor Content’s co-presidents. “We are deeply appreciative of both her friendship and all of her contributions that helped spur the growth of Endeavor Content.”
Variety's Elaine Low contributed to this post.
https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/liesl-copland-participant-exec-vp-content-platform-strategy-1234908552/
