Bunim/Murray cofounder and CEO Jonathan Murray is stepping down from his post and will segue into a producer role, the company’s parent Banijay Group announced Tuesday.
BMP, best known for birthing the reality TV craze 23 years ago with MTV’sThe Real World and Road Rules, will now be led by Gil Goldschein, who was upped to CEO and chairman. Goldschein played a key role in expanding BMP’s global footprint by negotiating Banijay Group’s acquisition of the company in 2010.
The company is also behind E!’s Keeping Up With the Kardashians and Lifetime’s Project Runway. Murray will remain with the company as an executive consultant.
“Innovation is what has made this company strong,” said Murray. “I am confident that Gil is the one person who can ensure the company that Mary-Ellis Bunim and I founded 28 years ago continues to grow and thrive. As for myself, I want to focus more on making television and documentaries and less on managing the company. So I’m thrilled to have worked out a deal that allows me to continue doing this with my talented colleagues at Bunim/Murray and Banijay.”
As part of the new structure, Jeff Jenkins moves to executive VP of development and programming, overseeing docuseries and celebrity reality series. Scott Freeman will shift from current programming to a new role as executive VP of international.
Julie Pizzi returns to BMP after leaving to start her own production company PB&J as executive VP of development and programming, assuming creative and development responsibility for all format series. With Pizzi’s return, BMP has struck a pod deal with PB&J, which will be headed by Pizzi’s former partner Patty Ivins.
