Bumble Founder/CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd Joins Imagine Entertainment Board
Whitney Wolfe Herd, the founder/CEO of the social networking app Bumble, has been added as a non-voting member of the board of directors of Imagine Entertainment by chairmen Brian Grazer and Ron Howard. She joins Tom Freston, Jeff Sagansky, Michael Lynton and Richard Rosenblatt on the board.
It is the latest in a series of expansion moves by Imagine, which recently broadened into the documentary and branding space with the launch of Imagine Documentaries. It also acquired Jax Media, the company behind the half-hour cable comedies Full Frontal With Samantha Bee, Inside Amy Shumer and Broad City. Earlier this year, Imagine Entertainment and Animal Logic’s joint venture entered into a film partnership with Warner Bros. Pictures Group to co-produce and co-finance a slate of animated and hybrid family films. This follows last year’s $100 million TV co-financing venture with Hong Kong based TVB, and a co-financing arrangement with CBS Television Studios.
Said Grazer: “I deeply admire Whitney as an original thinker and visionary. She is a brilliant young entrepreneur who not only created an incredible global company, but also an empowered and strong community. As we continue to evolve and grow Imagine, we wanted to add someone to the board who would bring a fresh and original perspective – someone who thinks completely differently than we do but at the same time understands the value of human connection and story-telling. Whitney brings relevancy and a fresh perspective to our business. We are honored that she has agreed to join our board.”
Herd created Bumble as the only dating platform app where women make the initial connection. In 2016, Bumble launched Bumble BFF as a friend-finding feature and Bumble Bizz for professional networking in 2017. Bumble has grown to over 35 million users in 160 countries, and she was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People.
“Imagine and its founders have inspired generations worldwide, setting a standard for cinematic storytelling that is unrivaled in the industry,” Wolfe Herd said. “They’ve transcended to create timeless pieces of art that champion the underdog, challenge the status quo and ignite curiosity. It’s an honor to join the team and collaborate on new ways for people to be entertained and empowered by their favorite stories.”
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