Endemol N.A. Ups Smith And Samek

Endemol North America, a global producer of scripted, unscripted and digital entertainment, today made two major promotions for its top posts.

51 Minds executive Ben Samek has been appointed chief operating officer for Endemol North America, where he will oversee business development and strategy, as well as operations for the company, including the recently launched premium multichannel network, Endemol Beyond USA.

Endemol USA executive Rob Smith has taken on an expanded role as executive vice president, creative affairs, Endemol North America, and will oversee all creative for unscripted television, including development and current programming.

Both Samek and Smith will report to Cris Abrego and Charlie Corwin, co-chairmen and co-CEOs, Endemol North America.

Prior to his role as COO, Endemol North America, Ben Samek was COO of 51 Minds and executive producer on all 51 Minds series. In that role, he oversaw the company through the sale to Endemol USA, developed ancillary revenue streams in the digital, branded television and new media arenas for the company.

He began working with 51 Minds as a show runner and executive producer. Samek started his career at MTV, working on the long running series “FaNatic” before moving over to reality producer Bunim/Murray Productions. He produced Cannonball Run and won an Emmy for producing the third season of The Amazing Race. 

Rob Smith has worked at Endemol for the past 11 years. In his expanded role, Smith will oversee the company’s development and production slate and will continue to oversee current programming and the studio’s broad portfolio of shows, including daytime syndicated series Steve Harvey (NBCU), currently in its second season and renewed by NBC owned stations through 2016; Wipeout (ABC); and Freakshow (AMC), which will air its second season on AMC this spring.

In his prior position as EVP, programming for Endemol USA, Smith was responsible for shows including Deal or No Deal; the two-time Emmy award-winning series Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, currently in syndication, which aired for nine seasons on ABC; and Wipeout (ABC).

Prior to joining Endemol USA in 2002, he worked for Telepictures, serving as a supervising producer for the syndicated news magazine Extra.

Samek and Smith are based in Los Angeles.  They begin their new roles, effective immediately.