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Universal has promoted Jimmy Horowitz to president of Universal Pictures.
The move elevated Horowitz from co-president of production and executive vp and brings the exec into a more strategic role within the company, involving him in all business initiatives, including the digital and 3D arenas. Horowitz, who will report to Universal Pictures chairman Adam Fogelson and vice-chairman and COO Rick Finkelstein, will also help manage day-to-day operations.
Horowitz will also oversee Universal’s partnership with Chris Meledandri’s Illumination Entertainment and its relationship with Relativity Media.
“Jimmy is a critical gatekeeper for our company, someone who all our filmmakers know and respect,” Fogelson said in a statement. “His deep knowledge of our business and the people we work with make him a trusted strategic adviser who will play a major role in helping us shape the future of this studio.”
Horowitz, who has worked at the studio for 18 years, supervised non-creative aspects of production at Universal and has overseen Universal’s growing live stage business.
It was under his leadership that Universal Pictures Stage Production had its biggest critical and commercial success with “Wicked,” which grossed more than $1 billion worldwide, and “Billy Elliot,” which won 10 Tony Awards.
Horowitz joined Universal via the legal department in 1992, moving up to senior vp business and legal affairs before ending up as the department’s exec vp in 2002. Before joining the studio, Horowitz served as counsel for the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
