Shine exec moves to Contend

US-based production outfit Contend has added an executive from Shine America to oversee the company’s growing development slate.

Kate Shepherd has worked on shows for Fox, NBC, The CW and ABC, among others, and joins from Shine, now part of the recently merged Endemol Shine Group, where she oversaw global format development and acquisitions.

Contend has offices in Seattle, Chicago and Los Angeles and was founded last year by Steven Amato, the firm’s CEO and chief content officer. It has produced content for NBC and brands including Budweiser.

Shepherd will report to Amato, who also named Jon Sneider as the producer’s new chief marketing officer and exec VP of client partnerships. Sneider will oversee business development.

Amato said the duo’s “strategic, creative production and thought leadership within the television and marketing industries” would help the company with growth experienced since its foundation in 2014.

ESG recently shuttered the in-house formats arm of Shine America, as revealed by C21, with its chief Chachi Senior joining Spike TV.