Brent Montgomery, former CEO of ITV America, has launched the media and marketing company Wheelhouse Entertainment. With offices in New York and Los Angeles, the enterprise will create content and marketing opportunities across multiple platforms, as well as talent-driven partnerships and “360 businesses,” says Wheelhouse, in which it will also invest and help manage.
David George succeeded Montgomery as CEO of ITV America. Montgomery, whose production company, Leftfield Entertainment, was acquired by ITV in 2014, was named CEO of ITV America in 2015.
Wheelhouse Entertainment’s first production label, Spoke Studios, has also launched. Creating “engaging, provocative and talent-driven content” across a variety of platforms, says Wheelhouse, Spoke Studios will “explore unique points of view with programming that spotlights extraordinary worlds, dynamic characters and human ingenuity.”
Spoke Studios and ITV America will work together on unscripted series and projects to be produced by ITV America’s production team.
Ed Simpson, former executive VP, business development & international, at ITV America, is the chief strategy officer at Wheelhouse Entertainment.
“After an amazing run at Leftfield and then ITV, I’m thrilled for the opportunity to build something new and disruptive from the ground up,” said Montgomery. “Incorporating everything I’ve learned and experienced as a producer, an entrepreneur, a CEO and an investor, Wheelhouse will concentrate on creating new and alternative business models specifically aimed at solving our clients’ cost challenges, while leveraging the changing and rocky media landscape we are all navigating.”
Montgomery sold 80% of Leftfield Entertainment to ITV for $360 million.
