Fremantle Appoints Sharon Levy as Head of Americas and Australia

Fremantle, whose shows include the “Got Talent” and “Idols” franchises, has appointed Sharon Levy as CEO of Fremantle Americas and Australia, effective from mid-January, reporting directly to Jennifer Mullen, Fremantle Group CEO. Levy joins Fremantle from Banijay, where she served as CEO of Endemol Shine North America. Based in Fremantle’s Los Angeles offices, Levy will assume responsibility for the company’s production operations across the U.S., Mexico and Australia, and will also join Fremantle’s global leadership team. Levy will be responsible for driving strategic growth and overseeing all aspects of Fremantle’s operations across the regions, including its production labels, customer relationships, talent partnerships, creative development, production slate, and portfolio of intellectual property. Popular on Variety The company said that the appointment “forms part of Fremantle’s broader global growth strategy” and encompasses regional responsibilities previously held by Mullin. Levy has been “recognized as one of the industry’s premier creative and commercial executives,” Fremantle said. She is a recipient of the Peabody Award and is an Emmy-nominated producer. “Under her visionary leadership, ESNA solidified its position as a dominant market force, aligning closely with Banijay’s global network of production labels, delivering active series across all four major broadcast networks concurrently,” Fremantle said. At Banijay, Levy oversaw an expansive portfolio of top-rated franchises in the U.S., including “MasterChef” and “LEGO Masters,” as well as recent high-profile launches such as “Deal or No Deal Island,” “The Summit” and “Fear Factor: House of Fear.” On the scripted side, she expanded the studio’s premium slate through series like the four-time Emmy and Peabody Award-winning “Ripley” and international co-productions like HBO Max’s “Like Water for Chocolate.” Levy also spearheaded Binary Launch – an international accelerator program supporting creators across 30-plus territories worldwide. Prior to Endemol Shine North America, Levy served as executive VP, original series at Spike TV, where she led the acquisition, development and production of a range of scripted, unscripted and documentary programming, including “Ink Master,” “Bar Rescue,” “Auction Hunters” and “Deadliest Warrior.” Mullin said: “Sharon is an exceptional executive with a proven ability to build businesses, develop talent and deliver outstanding content. I am thrilled to welcome her to Fremantle and our global leadership team. Her experience, leadership and entrepreneurial mindset make her the ideal person to lead our businesses across the Americas and Australia as we continue to accelerate our growth ambitions. I look forward to working closely with her during this exciting time for Fremantle.”