LEONINE Studios appoints Sarah Bremner and Keri Putnam to its Advisory Board
LEONINE Studios appoints Sarah Bremner and Keri Putnam to its Advisory Board
Munich, 25 January 2022 – LEONINE Studios, a leading independent German media company for premium content, has appointed Sarah Bremner, the former President of ARRAY Filmworks, and Keri Putnam, the former CEO of Sundance Institute, to its Advisory Board.
Sarah Bremner
As President of ARRAY Filmworks, the independent distribution company launched by renowned filmmaker Ava DuVernay, Sarah was responsible for overseeing a multi-format production slate encompassing features such as Ramin Bahrani's Oscar®-nominated THE WHITE TIGER, television including The CW's upcoming series NAOMI, and developing ARRAY’S inaugural slates across animation.
Prior to that, Sarah managed the development and production of Original Films for Netflix for over five years, helping spearhead the development and production of such films as the Oscar®-nominated MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM and THE TWO POPES. Sarah has previously held creative roles at A&E Studios, Exclusive Media, Paramount Pictures and began her entertainment career at Nina Jacobson’s Color Force.
Keri Putnam
Keri recently stepped down as CEO of Sundance Institute after 11 years. During her tenure, Sundance’s revenue increased by 300%, with the organization expanding its investments in developing groundbreaking talent and projects across feature film, theater, episodic content, short film, and emerging media. She also oversaw the Sundance Film Festival, the leading market for independent and documentary film globally.
Keri has also held senior executive roles at Miramax, where she served as president of production over a four-year period, and at HBO, where she was executive vice president of movies and miniseries. A passionate advocate for the advancement of women in the entertainment industry, Keri co-founded ReFrame, a leading media organization advocating for diversity in Hollywood.
LEONINE Studios, one of Germany’s leading content production, distribution and licensing companies, is backed by KKR and Atwater Capital, an alternative investment firm that has invested in a number of leading film and TV players, including Mediawan, the leading producer and distributor of content in France, and independent studio Wiip.
Vania Schlogel, Chair of the Advisory Board at LEONINE Studios, and Founder and Managing Partner at Atwater Capital, said: “We are delighted to appoint two more exceptional executives to LEONINE’s advisory board. Both Sarah and Keri have built deserved reputations for supporting, developing, and producing outstanding content, and I have no doubt that their presence on the LEONINE board will prove invaluable as the company continues to strengthen its position. I am a firm believer in the commercial and cultural power of a diverse boardroom that reflects our customers, employees and investors, and I am proud to chair a board which continues to place huge emphasis on diversity, inclusion and equity.”
Sarah Bremner, Advisory Board Member at LEONINE Studios, said: “I am thrilled to be joining the Advisory Board of LEONINE – LEONINE’s emphasis on producing, distributing and licensing groundbreaking premium content has fast made it one of Europe's most innovative content companies, and I'm looking forward to working closely with my fellow board members as LEONINE continues its dynamic ascent.”
Keri Putnam, Advisory Board Member at LEONINE Studios, said: “I look forward to joining the terrific team at LEONINE and contributing to the continued strategic evolution of an organization with a proven track record of supporting dynamic creative talent across its varied production, distribution, and licensing businesses. Throughout my career I have advocated for greater diversity in the entertainment industry, so it’s also extremely encouraging to be joining a boardroom with such a robust female executive presence."
Fred Kogel, CEO of LEONINE Studios, added: “We are excited to have Sarah and Keri join our Advisory Board. They will bring unique perspectives, impressive expertise and vast experience into our organization, as we continuously and dynamically grow LEONINE’s business in all areas of the media landscape.”
LEONINE Studios’ Advisory Board includes Vania Schlogel (Founder and Managing Partner Atwater Capital), Sarah Bremner, Keri Putnam, Heather Moosnick, Bettina Reitz (President University of Television and Film Munich), Philipp Freise (Partner and Co-Head of European Private Equity KKR) and Philipp Schälli (Principal, Private Equity KKR).
About LEONINE Studios:
LEONINE Studios is a leading independent German content house focusing on inspiring viewers with premium content and being a reliable partner for creative talents.
With its three divisions LEONINE Production, LEONINE Distribution and LEONINE Licensing, the media company covers the entire value chain of the content business. LEONINE Studios produces feature films, series, TV shows, entertainment formats, infotainment formats, content for social media channels, and co-produces national and international fiction formats. The LEONINE Studios production companies – i&u TV, Odeon Entertainment, Odeon Fiction, SEO Entertainment, W&B Television and Wiedemann & Berg Film – are led by award-winning producers with long-term ties to outstanding creative talents. LEONINE Studios distributes its content in theaters, on digital services, in home entertainment and on TV channels. In this context, the company also draws on its market-leading license library which includes programs in all formats and genres. LEONINE Studios’ independence assures that all players in the content sector can be provided with premium content – digital streaming providers, pay TV partners as well as public and private television broadcasters.
Further information at www.leoninestudios.com
Press contact LEONINE Studios:
Henriette Gutmann
Head of Corporate Communication & Sales Marketing
Tel. +49 (0) 89 999 513 - 0
Email: communication@leoninestudios.com
LEONINE Holding GmbH • Taunusstr. 21 • 80807 München • Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung • Sitz der Gesellschaft: München • Amtsgericht München HRB 246 195 • Geschäftsführer: Fred Kogel (Vorsitzender), Quirin Berg, Dr. Markus Frerker, Joachim Scheuenpflug, Max Wiedemann, Bernhard zu Castell