VFX veteran assumes role of executive VP and head of LA studio.
Visual effects, animation and stereo conversion company, DNEG, announced the promotion of Lee Berger to executive VP and head of its Los Angeles office, bolstering its global client services team. The LA studio provides filmmakers, directors and studio clients in Hollywood a gateway to the company’s international capabilities.
Having spent the last few years as the company’s senior vice president of production, Berger has been working closely with clients in Hollywood, as well as the studio’s global creative supervisory team. In his new role, Berger will lead the LA team while continuing to oversee projects and steer the company’s global delivery offerings. As part of the senior management team, he will explore opportunities in various media business development initiatives.
Berger’s visual effects experience includes previous senior leadership positions at Rhythm and Hues and Blue Sky / VIFX. While at Rhythm and Hues he worked on the award-winning films The Golden Compass and Life of Pi, as well as the Academy Award-nominated The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
Describing Berger’s promotion as a “coming of age” for DNEG’s LA studio, CEO, Namit Malhotra, commented, “Lee’s promotion amplifies our commitment to our clients across North America. As the requirements of our clients’ projects become ever more complex, we need a team in LA that has the experience to advise, add value and draft in the best resources from around our global network to deliver a superior level of service and delivery.”
“Lee has a great reputation in the business,” continued Malhotra. “So, it made perfect sense to confirm his position as our ‘go-to’ man in LA. With over two decades of VFX experience in Hollywood, Lee brings both a proficiency in building relationships and an innate understanding of innovative VFX technology, and we are proud for him to be leading from the front for our operations in Hollywood.”
“I am looking forward to picking up the ball and driving DNEG’s LA team forward, making sure we give our clients the focus they deserve,” added Berger. “We’re currently building out our creative bench with some major new hires and, working closely with our studios around the world, I’ll be providing our clients with support, access and creative input, to ensure that DNEG consistently delivers an award-winning service.”
Source: DNEG
