EXCLUSIVE: David Eilenberg is returning to ITV America in a giant means.
Eilenberg, who was head of content material at Roku Media for the final two years, is returning to the Love Island USA producer as Artistic Director.
It marks a major reunion for Eilenberg, who spent six years on the American arm of the British broadcaster and studio, earlier than transferring to the customer facet in 2022, and an announcement rent for the corporate.
It’s a newly created function for Eilenberg, who will oversee the artistic route of ITV America, main all artistic improvement throughout the corporate’s unscripted sequence – together with codecs, documentary, competitors and extra – and its model and digital content material initiatives.
As ITV America searches for brand spanking new hits to observe the success of Love Island USA, which actually broke by means of on Peacock with its sixth season, Eilenberg will work carefully with ITV America CEO David George, to whom he reviews; ITV America President Adam Sher, who will proceed to lead the sourcing of IP, scout expertise and construct new enterprise alternatives throughout orchestrate conventional and digital expertise alternatives and construct new enterprise initiatives with manufacturers, streamers, networks and digital/social channels; and Chief Enterprise Officer Danielle Bibbo, who oversees programming and manufacturing, and leads enterprise technique.
Probably the most vital change for ITV America is that it’s combining its particular person manufacturing labels and groups into one improvement group, pivoting from its genre-focused, multi-label method. The corporate mentioned it wished to concentrate on “greater, higher” concepts.
As such, Eilenberg will oversee all improvement throughout its labels, which embrace ITV Leisure, Leftfield Footage, Sirens Media, Good Caper Content material, Thinkfactory Media and Excessive Midday Leisure.
Eilenberg, who’s a very talked-about determine throughout the unscripted enterprise, joined Roku Media as its head of originals in 2022. He was promoted the next 12 months to go of content material after the exit of Rob Holmes.
Earlier than that, he was Chief Artistic Officer at ITV America, which can also be behind sequence together with Netflix’s Queer Eye, Fox’s Hell’s Kitchen and NBC’s The Voice. He spent 4 years in that function, having joined as President of ITV Leisure in April 2016.
Earlier than becoming a member of ITV, he was SVP, Unscripted Growth, Late Evening and Specials at Turner, overseeing TNT and TBS sequence together with King of the Nerds, Chilly Justice and Howie Mandel’s Take care of It, in addition to Conan.
He additionally labored for Mark Burnett Productions as Head of Growth and Present Programming, the place he helped promote, develop and produce sequence together with The Voice, Shark Tank, The Bible and Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader?
Previous to that, he was head author on the primary incarnation of The Weakest Hyperlink and Sacha Baron Cohen’s Da Ali G Present.
His appointment comes after Simon Thomas, exec producer of Love Island USA and President of the ITV Leisure label and Head of Worldwide Programming, joined Pantheon Media Group as Head of Artistic.
“David comes again with a wealth of information and perception in tech and a deeper understanding of our purchasers at a data-driven stage that may assist us unlock a really advanced market,” mentioned George. “He’s a giant a part of ITV America’s secret sauce: he is aware of what works, he is aware of what’s subsequent and, most significantly, he is aware of the right way to have enjoyable doing it. Alongside Adam’s capacity to create and elevate alternative, and Danielle’s enterprise acumen, we’re getting the band again collectively. I’m much more excited than when Rage Towards the Machine reunited.”
Eilenberg added, “I’m so proud to have been a part of Roku’s success story, together with doubling the dimensions of the Roku Channel because it grew to become the fastest-growing service in all of streaming. On the identical time, I’m overwhelmed with pleasure to return dwelling to ITV, its best-in-class groups, and the artistic course of that’s finally the place my coronary heart lies. It’s turn out to be a brand new world in a short while, and I can’t wait to assist convey the following wave of hit tv, digital, and branded content material to life.”
“Hit exhibits begin with nice concepts, however at the moment it’s extra vital than ever to search out and domesticate extraordinary expertise and breakthrough IP to drive distinctive alternatives that excite consumers and manufacturers. Having my companion in crime again and dealing in tandem frees us as much as do our greatest work alongside our wonderful crew. David’s expertise at a serious platform these final 4 years will assist set ITV America aside as a uniquely invaluable companion to our consumers with an unusual perception into our audiences. We’re all past thrilled to welcome David again dwelling,” mentioned Sher.
Charlie Collier, President of Roku Media, paid tribute to Eilenberg for his time on the firm. “David Eilenberg is a considerate companion and artistic chief, and his contributions elevated Roku. We’ll miss David and sit up for collaborating with him as he returns to the opposite facet of the artistic desk,” he mentioned.
