Banijay Entertainment has named Zachary Klein as chief operating officer of both Bunim/Murray Productions and 51 Minds Entertainment, expanding his role within the company.
Klein previously served as the COO of 51 Minds since 2023. In his new role he will also oversee day-to-day production operations of Bunim/Murray Productions.
“Zach has extensive experience leading production operations and an exceptional understanding of how to service each of our client’s unique needs,” Julie Pizzi, president and CEO of Bunim/Murray Productions & 51 Minds Entertainment, said in a statement. “His ability to develop relationships with our partners and merge the creative with physical production strategy makes him invaluable and the perfect partner to serve as COO of both of our companies.”
Klein will specifically oversee operations across the companies’ unscripted and documentary projects, including “Below Deck,” “The Challenge” franchise and “Vanderpump Villa.” Other projects under the companies’ banners include “The Chrisleys: Back to Reality,” “Confessions of Octomom,” “Filthy Fortunes” and “Dirty John.”
“Expanding my oversight to include another pioneer of the unscripted genre is an incredibly exciting strategic opportunity,” Klein said. “Under Julie’s leadership, both Bunim/Murray and 51 Minds continue to innovate and flourish in this ever-changing landscape. My focus will be on accelerating the companies’ continued growth while empowering our exceptionally talented staff to continue delivering best-in-class products to our clients.”
Before assuming his executive post at 51 Minds, Klein served as a director and vice president of production. He began his career as a freelancer, producing projects including “Ali Wong: Baby Cobra” for Netflix, “Utopia” for Fox and “Redneck Island” for CMT.
This appointment comes as Banijay is in talks with All3Media owner RedBird IMI about merging the two companies’ TV production businesses. These discussions reportedly began late last year after Banijay gave up on its pursuit of ITV Studios.
Banijay Entertainment has a portfolio of over 130 companies and over 17,000 hours of content, as well as live events. Its businesses include Endemol Shine, Mastiff, Groenlandia, Dragonfly, Pookeepsie, Initial, Kudos, Tiger Aspect, Shine TV, Remarkable, The Forge, Truly Original and Zeppotron, among others.
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