Fifth Season promotes Prentiss Fraser, Joe Hipps, Todd Sharp to president roles

Fifth Season, the global studio formerly known as Endeavor Content, has elevated three of its executive VPs – Prentiss Fraser, Joe Hipps and Todd Sharp – to president roles.

Prentiss Fraser

London-based Fraser, who was previously exec VP of television distribution, is now president of TV distribution. She will continue to oversee strategy, operations and partnerships across both scripted and non-scripted content for the studio’s distribution team.

In addition, Fraser’s remit will expand to include both marketing and international television productions, with P&L oversight of the strategic investments on the production side of the business internationally.

Fifth Season’s distribution operation is headquartered in London, with executives based across New York, LA, Hong Kong, Stockholm, Colombia and Beijing.

Since joining Fifth Season three years ago, former Fox and Entertainment One exec Fraser has overseen licensing on titles including Nine Perfect Strangers, Wolf Like Me and Life & Beth, in addition to investment and licensing of third-party titles such as Killing Eve, The Night Manager, Normal People, Curse of the Chippendales and Victoria Secret Angels & Demons.

Joe Hipps

Hipps, previously exec VP of development and production, has been upped to president of TV development and production. He will continue to lead the creative team at the TV studio, which counts Severance (Apple TV+), Tokyo Vice (HBO Max), Nine Perfect Strangers (Hulu) and upcoming series Chief of War (Apple TV+) among its credits.

Hipps’ team also oversees first-look and partnership deals with the likes of Made Up Stories, 51 Entertainment, Anonymous Content, Campout Productions, Melissa James Gibson, 3dot Productions, Joy Coalition, POV Entertainment and Mad Gene Media.

Sharp, who previously held the role of exec VP, head of production and current, is now president of production and current. Over the past year, Sharp’s teams have managed production on more than 20 series and films internationally, including Severance, See, Tokyo Vice and Truth Be Told.

Todd Sharp

The promotions come a month after the company, which is led by co-CEOs Chris Rice and Graham Taylor, rebranded as Fifth Season.

Fifth Season previously sat under US talent agency giant Endeavor until South Korea’s CJ ENM acquired an 80% stake in its scripted division for approximately US$785m. The deal, which officially closed in January, valued Fifth Season at around US$1bn. Endeavor retained the remaining 20% of the business.

“Joe, Prentiss and Todd lead the TV Studio with such care and passion for stories and storytelling,” said Taylor and Rice in a joint statement.