Independent TV and film studio MRC has named Jenna Santoianni its president of television.
MRC CEO Scott Tenley made the announcement Tuesday morning. Santoianni will oversee MRC’s current programming, its development slate, joint ventures, production partnerships, operational unites, business, legal affairs and production finance. She is expected to begin this week.
“Jenna is an incredibly talented television executive with invaluable high-level experience and knowledge of all aspects of the industry, including development, production and packaging,” Tenley said in a press release. “With sharp creative instincts, Jenna’s strength is her commitment to fostering a collaborative internal culture along with an impressive track record for producing groundbreaking and compelling series. She is that rare entrepreneurial leader who can help deliver the successful growth of our television slate for years to come.”
Santoianna, who most recently served as executive VP and head of development for Paramount Television studios, will replace Elise Henderson, whose departure comes after four years in the position. The change follows Tenley’s recent rise to CEO and restructuring of the independent studio, which has backed series like Peacock’s “Poker Face,” Hulu’s “The Great,” Prime Video’s “The Terminal List” and AppleTV+’s “The Shrink Next Door,” “Shining Girls” and “Hello Tomorrow!”
Co-founders Modi Wiczyk and Asif Satchu have assumed the new roles of chairmen, with Jonathan Golfman and Brye Adler remaining in place as co-presidents of film and Amit Dey as head of nonfiction.
At Paramount, Santoianni oversaw the development and production of series like “Made for Love,” “Station Eleven,” “Joe Pickett,” “The Offer,” and upcoming releases like “Fatal Attraction” and “Grease: The Rise of the Pink Ladies.” She has developed other series across streamers like HBO Max, AppleTV+, Prime Video, Hulu and Showtime.
“I have been a longtime admirer of MRC — from the artists they work with, to the stories they tell, to the culture they promote and the incredible business they have built,” Santoianni said. “As true entrepreneurs and recognized pioneers in streaming as well as content disruptors, I cannot wait to join this fantastic team of fearless, thoughtful risk-takers who love what they do and share their excitement as we head into this next chapter together.”