Veteran Universal Pictures executive Jimmy Horowitz gains presidential stripes

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Universal Pictures’ 18-year veteran Jimmy Horowitz has been promoted to president of the movie studio. He will work in concert with Chairman Adam Fogelson, Co-Chairwoman Donna Langley and Chief Operating Officer Rick Finkelstein in helping strategize and execute domestic business initiatives and manage the day-to-day business operations.

Horowitz’s ‘deep knowledge of our business and the people we work with make him a trusted strategic advisor who will play a major role in helping us shape the future of this studio,’ Fogelson said.

In his most recent role as co-president of production and executive vice president, Horowitz supervised non-creative aspects of the production and the studio’s live stage business. During his nearly four-year tenure, Universal Pictures Stage Productions has had success with ‘Wicked,’ which has grossed more than $1-billion worldwide, and ‘Billy Elliot,’ which won 10 Tony Awards last year, including best musical.

Among Horowitz’s new duties will be overseeing two of Universal’s key relationships: Chris Meledandri’s animation unit Illumination Entertainment and co-financing partner Relativity Media.

Since joining Universal’s feature legal department in 1992, Horowitz held top posts in the studio’s business and legal-affairs divisions. He previously served as counsel for the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and, before that, was a labor lawyer at Manatt, Phelps and later worked at Greenberg Glusker.

-- Claudia Eller