A group intent on installing a female-majority board has emerged the front-runner in the bidding to take over The Weinstein Co., but reports that Ron Burkle has joined the group were denied Sunday by his private equity firm.
Maria Contreras-Sweet, who ran the Small Business Administration under President Barack Obama, first made a pitch for TWC in November, a month after disgraced co-founder Harvey Weinstein was fired amid allegations of sexual harassment.
The pitch, to buy the studio for $275 million, included such well-received features as a litigation fund for Weinstein’s alleged victims, the retention of TWC employees and placing women in dominant management and board positions.
On Sunday, as estimates of bids for TWC swelled to $500 million, Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter both reported Burkle’s Yucaipa Cos. was backing the group.
But a spokesman for the firm told The Post: “I can confirm Yucaipa does not have a deal in place with [Contreras-Sweet].”
However, it is possible that Burkle will back the group as the two share a vision for a transformed TWC.