Envision brings in HBO Europe alum Linda Jensen, Harry Potter producer David Barron

Former HBO Europe CEO Linda Jensen has resurfaced as global head of investments at London-based producer and coproduction specialist Envision Entertainment.

Linda Jensen

Jensen has been hired alongside Harry Potter producer David Barron, who is taking on the role of global head of scripted, as part of Envision’s push into premium content.

At Envision, Jensen will launch an investment arm that will acquire both IP and stakes in media companies in areas such as publishing, gaming and animation.

Meanwhile, Barron will manage the firm’s slate of English-language, non-English-language and multilingual international premium projects.

Envision founder and chief content officer Michael Nakan will work across both production and investment arms and alongside Jensen and Barron.

Envision Entertainment has projects in advanced development in the UK, US, Asia, Africa and Europe, and says it will produce a UK-set series for an American streamer in 2022.

David Barron

Prior to joining Envision, Jensen worked at HBO Europe, where she was CEO from 2012 until her departure in 2015. Her credits there include Czech-language original drama Burning Bush and doc The World According To Ion B.

She was also president of MTV Russia for nearly five years, as well as director of development for Central European Media Enterprises.

Barron is a producer whose credits include six Harry Potter films, The Legend of Tarzan, Cinderella, Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle and Jack Ryan. His next feature, Emily, an Emily Brontë biopic starring Sex Education’s Emma Mackey, will be released by Warner Bros next year.

Nakan said: “Linda and David are two incredibly well-respected figures in the global content industry. Having them join the team is a real statement about our ambitions to make Envision a world-leading international production house and IP incubator.”