Joseph Abrams(II)
- Producer
- Executive
Joe Abrams provides strategy, marketing and sales consulting to the media and entertainment industry, with a mix of clients that have included Sony/Columbia Pictures Television, BMG, the Sundance Channel, Elvis Presley Enterprises, the Ed Sullivan Show, and a number of private equity firms involved with media transactions. His consulting activities include the worldwide licensing of television programs, as well as media training for senior executives in all industries. Abrams established his consulting practice in 2001, after the sale of Pearson Television (renamed Fremantle Media), where he served as President of Pearson Television International, to the RTL Group.
Separate from his consulting practice, Abrams serves as President and CEO of Brilliant Films, and in 2017 he produced Agatha Christie's Crooked House (starring Glenn Close, Gillian Anderson and Christina Hendricks) in association with Brilliant. Before setting up Brilliant Films, Abrams acquired the motion picture and television rights to a number of the key works of Noel Coward, Agatha Christie, and W. Somerset Maugham, and in 2007 produced Easy Virtue (starring Jessica Biel, Kristin Scott Thomas and Colin Firth), based on the Noel Coward play, with Ealing Studios.
After starting his career with CBS, Abrams joined Columbia Pictures Television in 1985 where he served as Vice President Cable, Pay Television and Home Video. In 1987 Abrams moved to MGM/UA, where as Senior Vice President of Worldwide Pay Television he was responsible for licensing all MGM and UA features and television product to the pay and basic cable networks, including such titles as Rain Man, Moonstruck, and the James Bond films.
In 1990, following the sale of MGM/UA to Pathé, Abrams joined Capital Cities/ABC to head their international sales. As President of ABC Distribution Company, he had direct responsibility for the worldwide licensing of all ABC-owned entertainment and sports programming, ABC News, as well as such event programs as The Academy Awards and The Beatles Anthology. Abrams also served for ABC on the Board of Directors of both Lifetime and the Arts & Entertainment Network.
In 1998, after the sale of Capital Cities/ABC to The Walt Disney Company, Abrams joined Pearson PLC. As President of Pearson Television International, Abrams led the worldwide sales organization, with primary responsibility for the distribution of over 15,000 hours of Pearson Television programming in every genre, to over 150 countries--including such titles as Neighbors, Homicide, The Bill, The World at War, Baywatch, and Mr. Bean. He remained with Pearson Television (renamed Fremantle Media) through the successful sale to the RTL Group in 2001, when he established his consulting business.
Abrams is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and has an MBA from Harvard Business School.
Separate from his consulting practice, Abrams serves as President and CEO of Brilliant Films, and in 2017 he produced Agatha Christie's Crooked House (starring Glenn Close, Gillian Anderson and Christina Hendricks) in association with Brilliant. Before setting up Brilliant Films, Abrams acquired the motion picture and television rights to a number of the key works of Noel Coward, Agatha Christie, and W. Somerset Maugham, and in 2007 produced Easy Virtue (starring Jessica Biel, Kristin Scott Thomas and Colin Firth), based on the Noel Coward play, with Ealing Studios.
After starting his career with CBS, Abrams joined Columbia Pictures Television in 1985 where he served as Vice President Cable, Pay Television and Home Video. In 1987 Abrams moved to MGM/UA, where as Senior Vice President of Worldwide Pay Television he was responsible for licensing all MGM and UA features and television product to the pay and basic cable networks, including such titles as Rain Man, Moonstruck, and the James Bond films.
In 1990, following the sale of MGM/UA to Pathé, Abrams joined Capital Cities/ABC to head their international sales. As President of ABC Distribution Company, he had direct responsibility for the worldwide licensing of all ABC-owned entertainment and sports programming, ABC News, as well as such event programs as The Academy Awards and The Beatles Anthology. Abrams also served for ABC on the Board of Directors of both Lifetime and the Arts & Entertainment Network.
In 1998, after the sale of Capital Cities/ABC to The Walt Disney Company, Abrams joined Pearson PLC. As President of Pearson Television International, Abrams led the worldwide sales organization, with primary responsibility for the distribution of over 15,000 hours of Pearson Television programming in every genre, to over 150 countries--including such titles as Neighbors, Homicide, The Bill, The World at War, Baywatch, and Mr. Bean. He remained with Pearson Television (renamed Fremantle Media) through the successful sale to the RTL Group in 2001, when he established his consulting business.
Abrams is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and has an MBA from Harvard Business School.
