Showtime Executive Vice President Melinda Benedek to Retire

Today, Showtime Networks announced that Melinda Benedek, Executive Vice President, Business Affairs and Production, has decided to retire after 22 years with the company. Benedek will remain at Showtime through the end of the year. An integral member of the Showtime Networks leadership team, Benedek has skillfully managed the company's business affairs and production teams, responsible for negotiating and managing the business and legal aspects of the development and physical production of all Showtime original productions and licensed original programming. Her arrival coincided with the rebirth of original programming at SHOWTIME, and her expertise facilitated its continued rise to prominence.

"Melinda has touched so much of what we do at Showtime for so long, it's difficult to imagine our team without her," said David Nevins, President and CEO, Showtime Networks Inc. to whom she reports. "I have long valued her sharp mind, her integrity and her cool under pressure. We applaud her decision to begin this exciting next chapter of her life. As sad as we are to see her go, we are thrilled for her personally."

"I have loved being a part of Showtime's evolution and growth over the last 22 years - my title has been the same, but my job continuously changed as we developed and executed different programming strategies for the network," said Benedek. "However, the time has come to explore some of the other lives I have wanted to live, and relocate for part of each year to Europe where I grew up."

Prior to joining Showtime in 1995, Benedek spent four years as Head of Business Affairs of the feature film division of Twentieth Century Fox. Immediately before that, she was Executive Vice President of Imagine Entertainment, which she had joined at its inception, under the leadership of Ron Howard and Brian Grazer. Prior to those two industry positions, Benedek was a partner at Pollock, Bloom and Dekom and an associate at Mitchell, Silberberg and Knupp, where she began her legal career. Benedek, who earned her J.D. from the Columbia School of Law, also has degrees from University of Paris and Oxford University, and is fluent or conversant in five languages. She is a member of the California Bar, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and Women in Film.

Image courtesy of Showtime

Need more TV Theatre News in your life? Sign up for all the news on the Fall season, discounts & more...