Playboy Recruits Lionsgate’s Julie Uhrman as Head of Media

By Todd Spangler

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Julie Uhrman is exiting as Lionsgate’s GM of over-the-top ventures to join Playboy Enterprises in the newly created position of president of media.

In the new role, Uhrman will oversee media offerings across all verticals and is tasked with building on the brand’s “progressive and provocative content” in digital and physical arenas, according to the company. Her job will include establishing new content and monetization partnerships as well as developing virtual- and augmented-reality properties.

Her mandate also is to “create new products” for Playboy — which, given her recent action in the OTT space, suggests the lifestyle media company could be planning new streaming-video plays. Uhrman will be based at Playboy’s Los Angeles headquarters in Westwood, reporting to CEO Ben Kohn.

“Julie brings with her a wealth of experience in media and digital-focused businesses
that will be integral to our efforts to meet the demands of our current subscriber base and expand the brand’s presence on new platforms,” Kohn said.

Uhrman joined Lionsgate in September 2016 as executive VP and general manager of over-the-top ventures, overseeing the company’s Tribeca Shortlist, Comic-Con HQ, Laugh Out Loud in partnership with Kevin Hart, and Pantaya. While at Lionsgate she launched new services and grew the company’s digital footprint domestically and internationally.

Prior to joining Lionsgate, Uhrman worked at VR vendor Jaunt as head of platform business development. She was the founder and CEO of OUYA, an Android-based game console for living room, which raised $8.6 million through Kickstarter and then went on to secure venture funding from Kleiner Perkins and Alibaba before the company was acquired by Razer in 2015. Previously Uhrman held executive roles in digital and game companies including IGN Entertainment and Vivendi Universal.

Commented Uhrman, “From its very earliest days, Playboy has been an organization that has stood for personal and social freedom. It’s a brand that actually helped trigger shifts in social awareness and continues to push the envelope in ways that make its offerings more inclusive than ever.”