Paradigm Hires Babacar Diene, Promotes Four to Agent

Paradigm Talent Agency announced that Babacar Diene has been hired as a content agent. Additionally, Sam Benfey, Josh Cohen, Natalie Handelsman and Wilson Rubinoff have been promoted to agent.

Diene is a longtime film financing, sales and production executive joining Paradigm from his previous position as vice president of acquisitions and development at Voltage Pictures. During his tenure at Voltage, which began in 2012, he served as an executive producer on films such as “Time Is Up,” “Archenemy,” “Safer at Home,” “Redemption Day,” “Follow Me” and “Drive Hard.” He co-produced movies including “Ava,” “Good Kids,” “Fathers & Daughters,” “Pay the Ghost” and “I.T.” He also previously served as vice president of acquisitions at IM Global’s Apsara Distribution, and worked for Icon Entertainment International and GreeneStreet Films International. Diene is based in Los Angeles.

Benfey enters his new position as digital and brand partnerships agent after first joining Paradigm in 2016. He began in the mailroom and has since worked across departments, including business development, digital and brand partnerships. His specialties include podcasting, video games, AR and VR, blockchain and NFTs, apps and emerging platforms. In the brand partnerships department, Benfey focuses on social media deals, licensing deals, and equity and investment opportunities.

Talent agents Cohen and Handelsman both joined Paradigm in 2019 and most recently served as coordinators in the talent department. Before Paradigm, Cohen worked on productions including “The Girl on the Train,” “Quantico” and “Grand Hotel.” Handelsman focuses on discovering and championing diverse talent.

Rubinoff is a literary agent. He came to Paradigm in 2017 as an intern and later held positions in the mailroom, and as contract administrator and coordinator in the television literary department.

“We are proud to congratulate these four exceptional and dedicated members of our team on their promotions, and look forward to their bright future at Paradigm,” said Paradigm partner Andrew Ruf. “Furthermore, we welcome Babacar Diene to the company, a colleague we have long admired, who brings his extensive expertise as we redefine our content business, with particular focus on developing and packaging content for clients across our talent, literary, book publishing and digital departments.”

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