Propagate Bolsters Executive Team

LOS ANGELES: Propagate has made three senior-level appointments, with veteran media and business-affairs executive Ivan Garel-Jones joining the company as chief operating officer.

In this post, Garel-Jones will oversee all legal and business affairs and operations for Propagate. He will be responsible for implementing systems and workflows to match the company’s global ambitions across all genres and platforms and will report to Ben Silverman and Howard T. Owens, co-CEOs of Propagate. Garel-Jones has more than 15 years of experience with scripted and unscripted programming in the U.S. and U.K. He joins Propagate from ITV America, where he most recently served as executive VP of business affairs.

Additionally, Isabel San Vargas was appointed head of production. In her new role, San Vargas will manage all aspects of production operations for Propagate, including current series, specials, pilots and development. She will report to Garel-Jones. Prior to joining Propagate, San Vargas served as the senior VP of production for Pilgrim Studios. In that role, she oversaw production on a slate of projects airing on more than 20 networks.

Linh Le, meanwhile, is coming on board the business-development team. Le will oversee strategic planning and partnership initiatives and new business ventures for Propagate. This includes the company’s digital and global expansion efforts. Like San Vargas, Le will report to Garel-Jones and will also work on branded content and marketing initiatives alongside Jim Hoffman, A+E Networks’s executive VP of strategic initiatives. Le previously held roles with FOX Sports and National Geographic Channel.

Owens and Silverman commented, “Over the past year, our development slate has grown significantly and a number of projects have begun production. To support and generate further growth, we are looking to build our production and management team with executives who bring diverse skills and expertise to the table. Ivan fits the bill perfectly. He was instrumental in building ITV America into the largest independent unscripted production company in the U.S. and we believe his business affairs, production and distribution experience will be invaluable to us.”

“I am extremely excited to be joining Ben and Howard at Propagate,” said Garel-Jones. “It is clear that they both have a vision that goes far beyond traditional television models. With their incredible creative and commercial acumen and expertise, they form a true powerhouse. I am very pleased to have Isabel and Linh as part of my team. They are smart, savvy media executives who both bring a wealth of experience to the table.”