Cris Abrego & Charlie Corwin Named Endemol North America Co-CEOs

Endemol USA is taking a page from FremantleMedia North America’s playbook. After FMNA turned to subsidiary Original Prods. to find a successor to topper Cécile Frot-Coutaz in Thom Beers, Endemol is doing the same, naming 51 Minds CEO Cris Abrego and Original Media CEO Charlie Corwin as Co-Chairman and Co-CEO of Endemol North America, replacing departing CEO David Goldberg. The two will oversee Endemol’s North American operations, which include their respective companies as well as fellow subsidiaries Authentic Entertainment, Endemol Studios and True Entertainment. Endemol acquired Abrego and Mark Cronin’s 51 Minds in 2008, while Corwin’s Original Media was added in 2007. While Endemol has recently made inroads in daytime and scripted programming with Steve Harvey, AMC’s Hell On Wheels and Low Winter Sun, the company is yet to find new tentople reality shows to join veterans Big Brothers and Wipeout.