Fernando Szew on the Importance of Partnerships

As president and head of FOX Entertainment Studios, FOX Entertainment’s centralized global studio business, Fernando Szew oversees the creation of scripted and non-scripted programming through Bento Box Entertainment, Studio Ramsay Global, TMZ and the independent film label Tideline. Szew is a proponent of international partnerships, such as those with Canada’s Neshama Entertainment and the Irish company BiggerStage. He speaks with World Screen about the importance of relationships with talent and building a diverse content pipeline with worldwide appeal.

WS: What are the strengths of FOX Entertainment Studios?
SZEW: FOX Entertainment Studios’ greatest strength is our ability to balance creative ambition with business discipline. We operate as a premium, talent-first studio while remaining deeply connected to FOX’s powerful distribution ecosystem. This combination allows us to move quickly, take smart, creative risks and develop shows that are culturally relevant, scalable and globally viable. Just as important, we have a strong track record of partnering with creators in a collaborative and flexible way, offering the resources of a major studio while also championing their voices.

WS: FOX Entertainment Studios has recently made several first-look and development deals. How do you want to expand the studio’s talent pool and reach?
SZEW: At FOX Entertainment Studios, our goal is to build a truly diverse, global and future-focused talent pipeline. That means partnering with established showrunners and producers, while also actively seeking out emerging voices, especially creators native to digital platforms, global markets and genre-driven storytelling. Our recent first-look deals with talents like Tracee Ellis Ross, Jamie Foxx, Bill Burr and Taraji P. Henson reflect that approach.

WS: How did the deal with HOLYWATER come about, and why is it important?
SZEW: The HOLYWATER deal grew out of a shared belief that the next generation of hit IP will increasingly emerge from digital-first storytelling ecosystems. HOLYWATER has shown a unique ability to incubate stories online, cultivate passionate communities and then scale that IP across formats. As a studio, we’re focused on meeting viewers where they are—across platforms, geographies and viewing behaviors—and this partnership allows us to do exactly that. For FOX Entertainment Studios, it connects us directly to new audiences and new creative models, while enabling us to apply our development and production expertise to elevate that IP for television and beyond.

WS: Why are international partnerships—such as the collaboration with Bell Media—beneficial to FOX Entertainment Studios, and are you looking to do more?
SZEW: International partnerships are a critical pillar of building a modern studio. Collaborations like our work with Bell Media enable us to co-develop content with global potential, share both creative and financial risk and benefit from strong local storytelling perspectives. Just as importantly, these partnerships allow us to think globally from the outset, rather than adapting projects for international audiences after the fact. And yes, we’re actively looking to expand these relationships—especially in markets generating distinctive voices and scalable formats.

WS: What are the challenges of managing a company in a constantly changing media landscape? Are there skills you honed at MarVista that are now helpful at FOX?
SZEW: The biggest challenge is navigating constant disruption, shifts in audience behavior, business models and distribution while still maintaining a clear creative identity. It requires adaptability, data-informed decision-making and a willingness to rethink long-held assumptions.

At MarVista, I learned how to build a studio that could thrive amid change by being agile, disciplined and deeply focused on demand from the buyers and their audiences. Those skills translate directly to FOX Entertainment Studios today, where the goal is to balance innovation with sustainable models to ensure we’re building a studio designed for the long term.

WS: What is your outlook for the next 12 to 24 months? What opportunities for further growth do you see?
SZEW: Over the next 12 to 24 months, we see an exciting period of growth and continued transformation for FOX Entertainment Studios. We’re building momentum across multiple fronts, expanding our talent relationships, accelerating development and diversifying our slate with both high-impact premium scripted projects and bold unscripted formats. This is a period where strategic creativity meets disciplined execution, and we’re positioned to benefit on both fronts.