Scott Herbst has been promoted to president of Lionsgate Television Group, overseeing all creative operations for the studio.
Herbst has been with the company since 2018, most recently serving as executive VP of TV and head of development. Under the new structure, Lionsgate TV executive VPs Lee Hollin and Marcello Bellisario, who head current programming and television casting, respectively, have signed new deals to continue in their roles and will report to Herbst. Russell Ziecker, head of TV music, will also report to Herbst. He continues to report to Lionsgate TV chairman Kevin Beggs.
“Scott is one of the most talented and respected executives in the business, with great relationships, terrific creative instincts and a strong track record of identifying distinctive material,” Beggs said. “He is expert in developing the bold, noisy shows that break through the clutter and resonate with today’s audiences, and he has played an integral role in the success of our television business. In this expanded leadership role, Scott is positioned to lead our Television Group to an exciting new level of performance.”
Herbst has shepherded key projects for Lionsgate TV in recent years, including the Emmy-winning Apple TV comedy “The Studio,” ABC’s “The Rookie,” CBS’ “Ghosts” and USA Network’s “The Rainmaker.” At present he’s working on the “Midnight Sun” adaptation of the “Twilight” franchise for Netflix.
“I’m incredibly proud of what this team has accomplished and excited about the opportunity ahead of us. I want to thank every writer, producer and representative who has ever called me about an idea that ultimately became one of our shows,” Herbst said. “We have assembled a slate that reflects the ambition and range of Lionsgate Television. I’m grateful to Kevin for his trust and look forward to building on our momentum with Lee, Marcello and the rest of the team.”
Before coming to Lionsgate, Herbst was VP of scripted programming for NBCUniversal International. He started his career at Lakeshore Films, working on such films as 2011’s “The Lincoln Lawyer,” 2012’s “Stand Up Guys” and “One For the Money.”