Casey Wasserman and LA Times Executive Editor Kevin Merida to Open TheGrill 2021

Two media heavyweights will join TheWrap’s editor-in-chief Sharon Waxman for a state of the industry discussion in kicking off TheGrill 2021, Sept. 29-30

(From left to right): Casey Wasserman, Kevin Merida and Sharon Waxman

Casey Wasserman, the sports and media mogul who serves as chairman and CEO of Wasserman, and Los Angeles Times executive editor Kevin Merida will join TheWrap’s editor-in-chief Sharon Waxman for a discussion titled “The State of the Industry and Beyond” to open WrapPRO’s annual business conference TheGrill 2021, Sept. 29-30. 

As influential voices invested in the future of Los Angeles, Wasserman and Merida will come together to exchange views on the disruption and regeneration of the city’s media and entertainment landscape. 

Earlier this year, Wasserman added Wasserman Music to his existing sports and entertainment management agency, after acquiring Paradigm Talent Agency’s North American live music representation business. Wasserman is also the chairman of LA28, the nonprofit responsible for bringing the Olympic and Paralympic Games to L.A. in 2028.

In June, former Washington Post and ESPN executive Merida was tapped to lead the largest news-gathering organization in the West, the L.A. Times, charged to transform the storied 139-year-old newspaper into a digital powerhouse. 

Wasserman and Merida will join a stellar line-up of industry luminaries who will be speaking at this prestigious event including Netflix global film head Scott Stuber; Hello Sunshine dealmakers Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs; Xbox head Phil Spencer; Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick; “Mrs. America” producer Stacey Sher;  “Black-Ish” executive producer E. Brian Dobbins; BRON Media Corp. co-founder Brenda Gilbert; AGBO co-founder Mike Larocca; Gunpowder & Sky CEO Van Toffler; “The L Word: Generation Q” showrunner Marja-Lewis Ryan; actress and trans rights activist Carmen Carrera; “Holidate” producer Mary Viola, SAG-AFTRA executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland; Laugh Out Loud CEO Jeff Clanagan; Partner in Eagle Equity Partners Jeff Sagansky; Presiding Partner of Cravath, Swaine & Moore Faiza Saeed; “Spin” director Manjari Makijany; WarnerMedia SVP of equity and inclusion Samata Narra; Hidden Empire Film Group CEO Deon Taylor and Black Monarch Entertainment CEO Olivia Charmaine Morris.

For over a decade, TheWrap’s Grill event series has led the conversation on the convergence between entertainment, media and technology, bringing together newsmakers to debate the challenges and opportunities facing content in the digital age. Tailored to C-Suite and high-level attendees, TheGrill presented by WrapPRO, delivers a unique series of curated discussions, industry panels and virtual networking activations that explore the ever-changing media landscape.

This two-day event will be live-streamed September 29-30 and will be available exclusively on-demand via WrapPRO, a member community for professionals in entertainment, media and technology. Click here to become a WrapPRO member for access to TheGrill as well as exclusive entertainment coverage, insights and invites to virtual events/screenings throughout the year. 

Casey Wasserman is the chairman and CEO of Wasserman, a leading sports, entertainment and lifestyle marketing and management agency that represents brands, properties and talent on a global basis. Wasserman is also chairman of the LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games, a position held since 2014 when Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti appointed him to head the city’s successful bid campaign. During the pandemic, he launched CrowdAmp, a pandemic friendly product connecting fans who are unable to attend live sporting events. 

In his role as executive editor of the Los Angeles Times, Kevin Merida also oversees the Times Community News and Los Angeles Times en Español. Prior, Merida was a senior vice president at ESPN and editor-in-chief of the Undefeated, exploring the intersections of race, sports and culture. Under his leadership, the multimedia platform gradually expanded across Walt Disney Co. with a content portfolio including award-winning journalism, documentaries, television specials, albums, music videos, digital talk shows and two bestselling children’s books.

To learn more about TheGrill go to, www.thewrap.com/the-grill-2021/ 

Event sponsors include Gerber Kawasaki, Known, City National Bank, Loeb & Loeb, Take-Two Interactive, RIAA, Sony, WarnerMedia, IMAX and Lionsgate.

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