Nigeria’s Pearlena Igbokwe has been appointed as chairman of Universal Studio Group.
This feat makes her the first woman of African origin to head a major American television studio.
According to a statement by Universal Studio Group, she will lead the company’s growing global television studio businesses and report directly to Jeff Shell, CEO of NBC Universal.
Until her recent appointment, Igbokwe was president of Universal Television, where she oversaw all aspects of the studio business and achieved record volume for the legacy studio.
She also served as executive vice president, drama programming, for NBC Entertainment, where she developed the top-rated new broadcast dramas.
Before joining NBC Universal, Ms Igbokwe worked at Showtime for 20 years and was involved in developing a variety of hit series, including “Dexter” and “Nurse Jackie.”
Universal Studios Group is a division of NBC Universal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information for a global audience.
Igbokwe earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Yale University and an MBA from Columbia University.
She currently serves as the Vice President of the Hollywood Radio and TV Society (HRTS) board and is a member of the Television Academy Executive Committee.
Igbokwe, who moved to New Jersey with her family in 1971, at age six, also sits on the boards of directors of eBay, AFI, and IAC/InteractiveCorp.
She is married and has two children. She currently resides in Los Angeles, California.
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