Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning producer Ben Silverman announced a partnership
with IAC, led by media mogul Barry Diller, in July 2009 to launch a new company,
Electus, which will capitalize on the ever-evolving world of multimedia production
and distribution. With Silverman as founder and CEO, Electus will unite producers,
creators, advertisers and distributors under one roof and produce all forms of content
for distribution across a variety of platforms around the world.
Silverman is executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning NBC comedy "The Office"
and the Golden Globe-winning comedy "Ugly Betty," is co-creator and executive producer
of hit reality show "The Biggest Loser" for NBC as well as an executive producer
and co-creator of the critically acclaimed "The Tudors" for Showtime.
Prior to launching the new media venture with IAC, Silverman served as Co-Chairman,
NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios from June 2007. Responsible for directing
the efforts of NBC Universal’s television operations, Silverman transformed the
business model by connecting advertisers and consumers through content in a more
profound way. Initiating the first of two Infronts, he rebranded the Upfront and
enabled a two way conversation between media companies and advertisers. Fall 2009
marked Ben's first non-strike-interrupted slate which builds on the critical and
bottom-line success he had with "30 Rock," "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon," "Saturday
Night Live," "The Biggest Loser," "Celebrity Apprentice" and "The Office" as well
as the new "The Jay Leno Show" which Ben championed that directly addresses the
challenges facing broadcast TV with a topical DVR-proof show.
Prior to NBC Universal, Silverman, in March 2002, launched Reveille, a production
and distribution company focusing on exploiting worldwide intellectual property
rights through scripted and alternative television formats. The company leveraged
Ben’s relationships with the world’s top broadcasters and producers to acquire,
produce and distribute entertainment programming across all television genres. He
made Reveille the world leader in creating integrated marketing opportunities for
advertisers and developing alternative financing paradigms for the television business.
In 2003, he redefined advertiser-supplied programming by joining with Interpublic
Group to produce "The Restaurant," and Bravo's "Blow Out," with both shows fully
financed by context-relevant advertisers.
Previously, Silverman was in charge of the international packaging division at the
William Morris Agency (WMA), where he was the company’s youngest division head,
packaging more than 25 television series that encompassed over 500 produced episodes,
including "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," "The Weakest Link," "Big Brother," and
"Queer as Folk." He also led WMA's New York consulting branch, representing brand
names such as Maxim, InStyle, eBay and Anheuser-Busch, and focused on extending
those brands into alternative and traditional media outlets.
Prior to William Morris, Silverman was vice president for New World/Marvel Entertainment,
where he developed sitcoms and envisioned live-action projects for film and television.
Previously, he also held posts at CBS and Warner Bros.
Silverman graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University with a Bachelor of Arts
degree in history, and is involved with multiple philanthropic endeavors, including
Seeds of Peace, a group helping to foster peace among young people from adversarial
cultures.
In addition, Silverman sits on the Cedars-Sinai Hospital board of governors. Silverman
also serves on the board of directors of Best Buddies, a non-profit organization
dedicated to enhancing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities by providing
guidance and integrated employment. In December 2008, People magazine selected him
in its sexiest entertainment executive under "Sexy A-Z."
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