BBH Entertainment, the entertainment development arm of creative agency BBH USA, said it named producer and development executive Ali Fazel as its new senior vice president and head of development and current programming.
Fazel will report to Amani Duncan, CEO of BBH USA, and and Rafa Rizuto, chief content officer. Fazel will lead BBH Entertainment’s development of premium entertainment content, both branded and unbranded, for television, feature films, documentaries and more.
BBH Entertainment is behind “Exposure,” a competition series crafted for mobile devices and developed in a creative partnership between BBH Entertainment and their client Samsung. Fazel served as an executive producer on the program. The series represents a new model of entertainment that showcases how co-produced episodic programming can come to life outside of traditional advertising media. In May, BBH Entertainment launched Samsung Superstar Galaxy on Roblox — a free-to-play virtual experience that culminates with a virtual Charli XCX concert.
“Ali has such sharp instincts for what the next big cultural moment will be,” said Duncan, in a prepared statement. “His deep experience in developing content, combined with his ability to work in different media and genres, gives him a unique POV on how to connect with a broad range of audiences. Under his leadership, BBH Entertainment will continue breaking barriers, helping clients create and monetize IP to articulate their individual stories.”
” Fazel’s producer credits include the popular series “Shark Tank” as well as Amazon’s “Making the Cut,” and “Legendary” and “My Mom, Your Dad” on HBO Max.
“I’m honored to join the flock and carry the already-bright torch of BBH Entertainment even further,” said Fazel, in a statement. “Having access to a surreal level of creative talent at BBH USA, and together being able to craft creative ideas that truly zag as entertainment properties, is not only a thrill, it gives us an incredibly strong advantage. We are setting a new standard for branded entertainment as we also elevate BBH’s profile in the traditional entertainment space.”
Fazel’s parents immigrated from Afghanistan as refugees, where they both worked in TV and radio. Growing up in a suburb near Los Angeles, where his father owned a video store, he credits his parents with providing him with a unique lens on the relationship between media and culture, and with exposing him to a diverse array of entertainment from all over the world.
Fazel began his career in the music business, working with the global head of music at William Morris Endeavor where their focus was creating film, TV and sponsorship opportunities for clients such as Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars and Pharrell.
After WME, Fazel went on to work as manager of development for unscripted veteran Clay Newbill. Most recently, he was head of development at Overtime Sports, a venture backed by Andreessen Horowitz, Kevin Durant and Carmelo Anthony, that creates sports content tailored to Millennial and Gen Z audiences and boasts segment-leading engagement across social media.
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