A+E’s Cohan moves into Wheelhouse

A+E Networks veteran Sean Cohan is joining Wheelhouse Entertainment, the production group set up at the start of the year by former ITV America CEO Brent Montgomery.

Sean Cohan

Cohan has been with channels operator and producer A+E for 15 years, most recently as president of international and digital. He has been named president of Wheelhouse Entertainment, which Montgomery launched in January after leaving ITV.

Working with Montgomery and Wheelhouse’s chief strategy officer Ed Simpson, he will oversee content and marketing opportunities for Wheelhouse across multiple businesses and platforms, as well as talent, brand and other strategic, corporate partnerships for the company.

The announcement follows Wheelhouse teaming up with chatshow host Jimmy Kimmel this week on a new production venture.

In his new role, Cohan also will collaborate with the team at Wheelhouse’s in-house production label, Spoke Studios, which maintains a production partnership with ITV America.

Brent Montgomery

Cohan will remain with A+E Networks until the end of 2018 to manage a transition for the company and its global leadership team. He will officially join Wheelhouse in late January 2019.

Under his leadership, A&E Networks expanded and completed its global footprint across 200-plus territories, with a roll-out of channels including History and Lifetime.

A+E launched 58 channels, including roll-outs of A&E and Crime + Investigation, and established new businesses and teams across EMEA, Asia Pacific, and Americas. Cohan also built a global content sales organisation, spearheading formats and coproductions.

Prior to A+E Networks, Cohan held positions at Primedia, Morgan Stanley, NBC and AT Kearney.