David Nevins to Exit as CEO of Peter Chernin’s North Road Co. (EXCLUSIVE)
David Nevins has stepped down as CEO of North Road Co., the media venture launched in 2022 by Peter Chernin with backing from Providence Equity and other private equity partners.
Nevins formally joined North Road Co. company last July. The company’s initial focus has been on acquiring distinctive production banners in recent months with the goal of building a network of content businesses active in territories around the world. Last June it acquired Turkey’s Karga Seven Pictures. It also owns Red Arrow Pictures, the busy unscripted shop Kinetic Content and London-based Words + Pictures.
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Nevins has a deep background in scripted TV production from his long tenures at NBC, Fox Broadcasting, Imagine Entertainment and his 12-year run overseeing Showtime. The split is said to be amicable as it became clear that North Road’s focus and business ambitions wasn’t a fit for Nevins at this stage of his career. Chernin is the former CEO of News Corp. and was the longtime leader of Rupert Murdoch’s 20th Century Fox Hollywood operations. Nevins previously worked under Chernin in the early 2000s during their respective tenures at 20th Century Fox.
“I enjoyed my time with North Road and working with the exceptional creative team, and I especially appreciated working alongside Peter Chernin who is one of the greats of this business, but as I look at what I want to do with the next phase of my career, this role wasn’t a perfect strategic fit,” Nevins told Variety. “I’m looking forward to pursuing other opportunities that will surely include making the kind of cutting-edge, quality, commercial television I love — as the industry continues to pivot I am incredibly excited about all the emerging creative possibilities.”
Chernin, founder and chairman of North Road, expressed his appreciation for Nevins’ role in helping to shape North Road in its infancy. There’s no word yet on plans for a successor.
“David is a gifted creative media executive who brings a passion for quality to everything he does. Its been a pleasure working with him the last year at North Road and we wish him all best in his next endeavors,” Chernin told Variety.
Nevins made a name for himself as a programming executive over the years by championing such hits as “Arrested Development,” “24,” “Friday Night Lights,” “Homeland” and “Billions.” He exited Paramount Global in October 2022 amid a larger restructuring of the company’s operations.
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