Televisa USA Taps Chris Philip for Distribution & Production Support

SANTA MONICA: Televisa USA has hired Chris Philip, the CEO of Engine Entertainment, in an effort to bolster its U.S. and international English-language production and distribution output.

Philip will be reporting to Paul Presburger, the managing director of Televisa USA. He will be working closely with Michael Garcia, the chief creative officer of Televisa USA, and Ryan Likes, the chief of operations and business affairs, to develop new series in the U.S., as well as to develop international co-productions and oversee sales for content worldwide.

The move also provides Televisa USA with first-look rights to a pre-existing slate of projects from Sierra/Engine Television and its parent companies, Sierra Affinity and Engine Entertainment. Philip will continue to serve as Engine Entertainment’s CEO.

Philip founded Engine Entertainment in 2009. In 2011, Sierra Affinity and Engine teamed to form Sierra/Engine Television. Prior to Engine, Philip was the president of worldwide sales at Power. He also previously served as a VP at NBCUniversal International Television.

“Our strengthened global distribution, domestic and international production capacity, combined with our successful existing series and rapidly growing development slate, positions us extremely well for future growth,” Presburger said. “Bringing Chris into the fold is a smart deal all the way around. We gain a first-rate executive producer and international TV executive who will provide us with access to his many pre-existing, high-profile development and distribution projects. This will allow us to become a key contributor to our parent company’s leading global distribution business.”

“I am excited to be a part of Televisa USA and have it act as the studio going forward on all of our pre-existing projects,” Philip commented. “This deal adds tremendous value to both our slate and that of Televisa USA. Together, we will be an even more formidable force, with the studio putting into place all of the resources needed to attract top talent and create compelling television for the global marketplace.”