Chris Grant (media executive)

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Christopher Grant
Chris Grant Headshot 2015.jpg
Alma mater Carnegie Mellon University
Occupation(s)CEO, Electus
SpouseJenet Ricketts (2012–present)
Children2

Christopher Grant is an American media executive who is currently the CEO of Electus. [1] [2]

Contents

Electus is a full-service production studio that creates, produces and sells domestically and internationally a broad range of entertainment and branded content – scripted and unscripted – to broadcast, cable and digital/OTT platforms around the world. Through Electus International, the company's distribution business, Grant oversees the sale of more than 4,000 hours of content sold to over 220 countries, and is responsible for overseeing the company's continued growth across global and domestic TV, digital and branded entertainment. [3]

William Morris Agency

Grant began his career in the mailroom at William Morris Agency and later supported Ben Silverman, which prompted his move from New York to Los Angeles to help Silverman launch Reveille in 2002. [2]

Reveille

Grant was managing director of independent studio Reveille where he oversaw international distribution and creative affairs, and was responsible for distributing all of Universal Television Group's formats overseas. The company was best known for such popular, award-winning series as The Biggest Loser, The Office, The Tudors and Ugly Betty. [4]

Shine International

Reveille was sold to Elisabeth Murdoch's company Shine in 2008 to which Grant transitioned and helped to launch and run Shine International (now Endemol Shine), the global sales and distribution label responsible for distributing programming from the Shine Group companies including Reveille, Kudos, Dragonfly, Princess Productions, Brown Eyed Boy, Shine TV, Shine France, Shine Germany and Shine Australia as well as Metronome, the Nordic region's leading production group. Under his leadership, Shine International became one of the world's top television distributors, with Grant transforming into global brands such formats as MasterChef, The Biggest Loser, Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader? and The Moment of Truth. [5]

Electus

Grant became CEO of Electus in 2011, overseeing a roster of such advertiser-supported series as, Running Wild with Bear Grylls (NBC & Nat Geo), [1] [6] The Toy Box (ABC), Wrong Man (Starz), Food Fighters (NBC), Get Out Alive (NBC), You vs. Wild (NETFLIX), Bet on Your Baby (ABC), Terry Crews Saves Christmas (The CW). Other Electus credits include Bear Grylls: Face the Wild (Facebook Watch), House of DVF (E!), Marco Polo (Starz), Dog and Beth: On the Hunt (CMT) Southern Justice (Nat Geo), Jane the Virgin (The CW), Flaked (Netflix), Darkness (Discovery) and Winsanity (GSN). [7] Grant was nominated for an Emmy for Netflix You vs. Wild in 2019 and Nat Geo's Running Wild in 2021.

Also under the Electus banner are companies Artists First (fka Principato Young Entertainment), Big Breakfast (Adam Ruins Everything for truTV) and Notional (the acclaimed Chopped franchise for Food). Under Grant's supervision, Electus has struck several strategic investment deals with companies like Hudsun Media, Authentic Talent & Literary Management, and Rio Bravo. [8] [9]

Grant has led the company in developing business models that team prolific brands and commerce partners – including Walmart, Procter & Gamble, Mattel, Toys “R” Us, H&M, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Macy's – to create global formats with universal appeal such as with ABC series The Toy Box, as well as NBC's Fashion Star and Running Wild with Bear Grylls, among others. [10] [11]

In October 2018, Electus was acquired by content-creation and distribution company Propagate, founded by Ben Silverman and Howard Owens – with financing from The Raine Group – a deal through which the companies will develop and produce entertainment and branded content for nearly every platform and genre, both domestically and internationally. [12] [8]

Personal life

A graduate of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Grant married Jenet Marie Ricketts in May 2012 and lives in Los Angeles, California with their two children. Grant was born and raised in New York, before moving to Los Angeles in 2002 to help start Reveille. [13]

Recognition and affiliations

Grant was named one of Adweek's 20 Under 40 in 2013, has been profiled in The Hollywood Reporter’s Executive Suite and was named one of The Hollywood Reporter’s Top 30 Reality Players of 2015. Grant also served as Co-Chair of the NATPE Board of Directors and is a former member of the International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. [14] [15] [16]

Credits

YearProductionRole
2008 All New Gladiators Executive producer
2008-2009 Gladiators Executive producer
2010 Gone Too Soon Producer
2011 Charlie Sheen: Hollywood Black Book Executive producer
2012 Chasing Gaga Executive producer
2013-2015 Food Fighters Executive producer
2012-2015 King of the Nerds Executive producer
2013 Bet on Your Baby Executive producer
2013 Dog and Beth: On the Hunt Executive producer
2013 Maker Shack Agency Executive producer
2014-2015 House of DVF Executive producer
2014-2015 The Raft Executive producer
2014-2015 Breaking Greenville Executive producer
2014-present Running Wild with Bear Grylls (Emmy Nominated)Executive producer
2015 Marco Polo Executive producer
2015-2016 Separation Anxiety Executive producer
2015-2016 Winsanity Executive producer
2013-2017 Southern Justice Executive producer
2016-2017DarknessExecutive producer
2016-2018The Toy BoxExecutive producer
2017-2018Bear Grylls: Face The WildExecutive producer
2018-2019Wrong ManExecutive producer
2019-presentYou vs. Wild (Emmy Nominated)Executive producer
2021Weekend GetawayExecutive producer
2022You vs. Wild: Out Cold (Emmy Winner)Executive producer

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References

  1. 1 2 Andreeva, Nellie (2011-09-13). "Chris Grant Named CEO Of Electus". Deadline. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  2. 1 2 Littleton, Cynthia; Wallenstein, Andrew (2011-09-13). "Chris Grant joins Electus as CEO". Variety. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  3. ↑ "Propagate Acquires Electus And Majority Interest In Artists First To Expand Its Global Film And Television Studio". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Propagate. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  4. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (2011-04-29). "Reveille Managing Director Howard Owens To Exit". Deadline. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  5. ↑ Stelter, Brian (2008-02-15). "Company Behind Many TV Hits Is Sold". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  6. ↑ Petski, Denise (2015-05-08). "Kate Winslet, Michelle Rodriguez, More Join 'Running Wild With Bear Grylls' For Season 2". Deadline. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  7. ↑ "WAKE UP CALL PRODUCTION BIOS". Turner. 2014-11-13. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  8. 1 2 "Ben Silverman's Propagate Acquires Electus, Majority Interest in Artists First". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  9. ↑ "Electus Invests In TV Producer Hud:sun". Deadline. 2013-05-06. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  10. ↑ Petski, Denise (2016-10-11). "ABC Orders 'The Toy Box' Competition Series Hosted By Eric Stonestreet". Deadline. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  11. ↑ "Hydroshield™ Water Dodger™ Is The Winner Of ABC's "The Toy Box"". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Mattel. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  12. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (2018-10-30). "Ben Silverman & Howard Owens' Propagate Acquires Electus, Majority Stake In Artists First From IAC". Deadline. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  13. ↑ "Hitched, Hatched, Hired". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  14. ↑ "John de Mol - Reality TV Power List: The 30 Most Powerful Sellers of 2015". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  15. ↑ "NATPE reveals new co-chairs and board" . Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  16. ↑ "Meet Adweek's Young Influentials". www.adweek.com. Retrieved 2019-01-15.
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