AGBO creators Joe & Anthony Russo have hired Jason Bergsman to be the Company’s new CEO. Bergsman will report to the Russo Brothers and will lead all aspects of the Company’s strategy and business operations.
In other changes, Angela Otstot becomes President of Creative, Jake Aust is upped to President of Physical Production, and Nicholas Anglewicz to COO.
AGBO was formed by the Russos as they were directing the final two installments of the Avengers series for Marvel films. AGBO formed in 2017 with private funding to leverage their strength in telling stories with an agnostic approach to distribution. Their last Avengers film, Endgame, became the highest grossing box office hit of all time, and the AGBO produced Extraction is on course to become the most viewed feature film on Netflix. Yesterday, Deadline revealed that a sequel is in the formative stages.
Bergsman will oversee the expansion of this creative direction and the Company’s next phase of growth, as AGBO forges dynamic partnerships and innovates disruptive storytelling across media platforms.
“We are thrilled Jason is joining the AGBO team and are excited to work with such a dynamic, forward-thinking, and accomplished individual,” said co-founder and Chairman Joe Russo. “He brings a consistent and proven track record of business results to lead our Company to its next stage of growth.”
“We are confident Jason is a great fit for AGBO and welcome his leadership and passion for our business,” added co-founder and Chairman Anthony Russo. “Additionally, we are proud to promote Angela, Jake, and Nicholas, who have shown incredible creativity, expertise, and skill during their successful tenures with the Company.”
“I’m excited to partner with the Russo Brothers to lead AGBO at such a pivotal time in the Company’s development,” said Bergsman. “In today’s changing film and television sectors, AGBO is singularly positioned to create enduring value through the unique creative leadership of Joe and Anthony, and the strength of the Company’s talented team. I look forward to building and executing on Joe and Anthony’s vision.”
Bergsman will work alongside AGBO Vice Chairmen Mike Larocca and Todd Makurath. Prior to joining AGBO, Bergsman was a founding member of The Chernin Group (TCG), where he served as Partner and Executive Vice President. At TCG, Bergsman principally focused on building digital media and consumer companies, at investment stages ranging from incubation through later-stage acquisition. Bergsman serves on the board of directors of MeatEater, an outdoor lifestyle media brand majority-owned by TCG, and among other investments, served on the board of directors of Crunchyroll, the leading global SVOD service for Japanese animation (a division of Otter Media). In addition to his involvement in forming and operating Otter Media, Bergsman helped lead financings of TCG and affiliated entities, including CA Media (a TCG-controlled media investment vehicle focused on India and Indonesia) and TCG Capital Management.
Additionally, AGBO announced the promotions of two longtime cohorts. Angela Otstot becomes President of Creative, Jake Aust to President of Physical Production, and Nicholas Anglewicz to COO.
Angela Otstot joined AGBO in 2017 and served as SVP of AGBO’s story department under Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely (screenwriters of the Avengers and Captain America films, among others). Jake Aust joined AGBO in 2017, after a 20-year career as a producer, often having partnered with the Russo Brothers. Nicholas Anglewicz joined AGBO in 2018 as EVP of Finance & Strategy, with a background in entertainment finance, production, and distribution.
In addition to the release of Extraction, the AGBO slate this year includes the Russo Brothers-directed drama Cherry, starring Tom Holland and written by Angela Otstot; Sundance horror-thriller Relic, starring Emily Mortimer; and Matthew Michael Carnahan’s directorial debut City of a Million Soldiers.
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