As Executive Vice President, U.S. Content Distribution, Lawrence Szabo leads co-production and content acquisition deals for the U.S. across the full landscape of streaming platforms and linear networks. He plays a central role in shaping BBC Studios’ strategic direction and generating growth and profit across the region’s content licensing division, in addition to overseeing a team of licensing specialists for scripted and factual programming.

Szabo is a studio veteran with over 25 years of experience in domestic and international media markets, having crafted distribution strategies for global movie franchises including John Wick, Hunger Games, Twilight, and James Bond 007 and hit television series like Mad Men, Nashville, and Orange is the New Black. Szabo came to BBC Studios from Paramount Global, where he oversaw the company’s diverse streaming and cable portfolio comprised of Paramount+, Pluto TV, MTVE Networks, Nickelodeon, BET
and Showtime Networks as Senior Executive, Program Acquisitions.

Prior to Paramount, Szabo served as Executive Vice President, North American TV/SVOD Sales at Lionsgate, managing North American content licensing for US premium pay, basic cable, free TV and SVOD markets for the company’s feature film and television series portfolio. He began his career at MGM, where he held various roles across the company’s Television Group, Home Entertainment, and Film Studios divisions.

Szabo holds an MBA from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania and a BA in Economics from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Speaking on: The studio of the future