David Linde is chief executive officer of Participant Media, the global media company founded in 2004 by Jeff Skoll dedicated to entertainment that inspires and compels social change. Linde is responsible for leading the company’s overall strategy, day-to-day operations, content creation, advocacy, strategic investments and acquisitions. Participant’s business includes the production, acquisition and financing of film and digital content.
Linde’s background spans production, global distribution and building multiple companies from the ground up. Linde most recently led Lava Bear Films, a production and financing company he founded with the support of Reliance Entertainment. Prior to Lava Bear, Linde served as chairman of Universal Pictures, where he successfully championed a broad outlook regarding international productions, animation and family entertainment and distribution. Linde also served on the NBCUniversal board of directors and as the chair of NBCUniversal’s Diversity Council.
Prior to his Universal appointment, Linde ran acclaimed specialty film studio Focus Features and its genre division, Rogue Pictures, both of which were formed from Universal’s acquisition of the acclaimed independent production company Good Machine, of which he was a partner. During his tenure at Focus, Linde and his Co-President James Schamus oversaw a diverse slate that was honored with an historic 53 Oscar® nominations and 11 Academy Awards®.
Before Good Machine, Linde served on the leadership team at Miramax Films and Miramax Films International, where he led the acquisition of Peter Jackson’s Heavenly Creatures, Woody Allen’s Bullets Over Broadway, and Chen Kaige’s Palme d’Or-winning Farewell My Concubine, as well as the international distribution of Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction, Wes Craven’s Scream, and Anthony Minghella’s multi-Academy Award®-winning The English Patient.
Linde serves on the board of directors of FilmIndependent, and on the board of trustees of New Roads School, where he chairs the Governance Committee and is the member-at-large of the Executive Committee.
