Philip Segal to Depart FremantleMedia Original Productions CEO Post
Philip Segal will step down from his role as CEO of FremantleMedia North America Original Productions, the company announced Wednesday. Original productions COO and business affairs exec VP Ernie Avila and development and programming exec VP Sarah Whalen will take over management of the organization after Segal departs at the end of his contract this spring. Avila and Whalen will report to FremantleMedia North America co-CEO Jennifer Mullin.
“Philip has been an incredibly respected member of our team, leading OP and successfully managing key long-running and award-winning franchises including ‘Deadliest Catch,’ ‘Ice Road Truckers,’ ‘Bering Sea Gold,’ ‘Storage Wars’ and ‘Jay Leno’s Garage,'” Mullin said. “We wish Philip all the best in his new endeavors and we look forward to Ernie and Sarah lending their expertise across the business during this transition.”
Segal took over original production in 2012.
“It has been such a privilege to be at the helm of Original where we have built a legacy of genre defining shows that have stood the test of time,” Segal said. “I’ve produced well over 2,000 hours of TV under this prolific roof and I’m so grateful to my amazing staff for their tireless effort crafting every single hour. Most importantly, I want to personally thank Jennifer Mullin and all my friends at FremantleMedia who have been so supportive of this and every decision I have made along the way.”
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