Liz Jenkins believes in the power of queer representation

When Liz Jenkins became the first-ever chief business officer at NBCUniversal Studio Group in September of last year, she knew she had her work cut out for her. The industry is facing “unprecedented headwinds,” says Jenkins, thanks to generative AI, increased mergers, and a difficult funding environment for new content.



So in her first few months in the role, where she oversees content spending and distribution for the entertainment giant, she has embarked on a company-wide listening tour. The goal was to better understand leadership priorities and challenges, as well as get acquainted with the differing brands and relationships at such a massive company.



“Each of these labels has a unique set of talent relationships [and] buyer relationships, and I think is part and parcel of the promise of NBCUniversal, which is really creating the best home for talent and creators,” says Jenkins. “As I walked in the door, it was really important to spend time getting to know folks around the business.” After a restructuring in July 2023, that business includes NBC’s film studio, Universal Filmed Entertainment Group (including brands like DreamWorks Animation) and the company’s television studio business, Universal Studios Group. 



Prior to joining NBC, Jenkins was chief operating officer of Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine—the media company behind hits including Big Little Lies, Gone Girl, and Wild . There, she oversaw the company’s business operations and physical production. She also built the company’s unscripted division, which produced shows like Making The Cut, Surf Girls, and Meet Me in Paris. (Jenkins has a special place in her heart for unscripted content, she says. “I am a massive Real Housewives fan. I watch all of them.”) 



Careful deliberation and prioritizing relationship-building served her well at her former employer, too—even though it was a much earlier-stage company. “I joined HelloSunshine when we had 15 to 20 employees,” she says.  “Brick-by-brick, with a high degree of intentionality, we built the business into the new media company of the future.”



One of Jenkins’ proudest moments was helping oversee integration efforts when Hello Sunshine was acquired by Candle Media, an entertainment company backed by private-equity behemoth Blackstone Group in August 2021. “Every single person at Hello Sunshine held equity in the company. It was probably the happiest day of my life when I got to call every single person on the team and explain to them what this $900 million transaction meant.”



Her new position is a full circle moment for Jenkins, who started her career at NBC parent company GE with the ambition of ultimately working in media. And despite the headwinds she sees in media, she’s bullish on the company’s future. “In disruption comes massive amounts of opportunity,” says Jenkins. “When you are well-positioned from balance sheet to leadership to platform, the world is your oyster. I think it’s an opportunity to—as the deck is reshuffled—really position yourself for even greater success.” Jenkins currently serves as the chair of GLAAD’s board of directors, and sees her job at NBC as an extension of GLAAD’s mission to ensure LGBTQ people are better represented and accepted. One of the company’s recent projects includes Bros, the first gay romantic comedy from a major studio, written and starring Billy Eichner. “Part of why I do what I do is because I believe in the power of the media. Seeing our stories reflected in it creates a vision for what’s possible.”