Former Endeavor Content Partner and EVP Liesl Copland is joining Participant in the newly created role of EVP Content and Platform Strategy.
Copland will start at Participant on March 15.
Copland, a 25-year entertainment industry veteran in the specialty space, led Endeavor’s Non-Scripted Advisory practice, overseeing feature documentaries and premium non-fiction series and providing strategic advice to the studio’s growing production partners.
Copland will design and implement how Participant’s slate of film and television content is best placed in the global distribution infrastructure. Working closely with the company’s content teams throughout development and production, she will advise on and target the optimal strategic options for all properties, including overseeing all sales. Copland will be working cross-functionally with the senior leadership team, including EVPs of Narrative Film, Anikah McLaren and Robert Kessel, and SVP of Global Television, Miura Kite.
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“Liesl brings a unique set of skills and experience to Participant that will advance our work in new ways and continue to build our direct relationship with the global distribution community,” said Participant CEO David Linde. “Tens of millions of people are now seeing and embracing both single films and series, multiplying that by all that we do as Participant, makes this an exciting moment for the company.” “We look forward to what we know will be an additive new position to our efforts.
Participant Chief Content Officer Diane Weyermann added, “Having known Liesl for many years as a trusted colleague I am pleased to welcome her to Participant. Her broad skillset, including working closely with creative artists, will prove to be a real benefit to our content creation process.”
Copland said, “Participant is an incredible company both in the content it creates and the broader service it provides to the global society as a whole. I have been fortunate throughout my career to be able to identify new business models and opportunities for content development and distribution and this new role affords me a broad foundation on which to continue to innovate around compelling and important content. I have also been able to touch upon the social and cultural impact space and now at Participant I am thankful to be able to amplify that work which has always been of great personal importance to me.”
Chris Rice and Graham Taylor, Co-Presidents of Endeavor Content commented, “We are excited for Liesl and our partners at Participant given Liesl’s authentic interest for all things purpose driven. We are deeply appreciative of both her friendship and all of her contributions that helped spur the growth of Endeavor Content.”
During Copland’s 12 years with Endeavor – which originated within the group and grew with the company through mergers with William Morris and IMG, expanding into television, international sales and more – she oversaw the narrative film sales practice and also focused on digital media and the emerging distribution space as part of her corporate advisory work, consistently with a keen eye to the changing distribution model landscape. At the launch of Endeavor Content, Copland took over the Non-Scripted Advisory Practice and had a unique role in the studio’s early investments in social impact content fund, 1Community, and the female focused MadeUp Stories launched by Emmy-winning producer, Bruna Papandrea.
