Westbrook Promotes Jesse Uram To SVP Growth

EXCLUSIVE: Westbrook has upped Jesse Uram from VP of Business Development to SVP, Growth.

In his new role, Uram will leverage Westbrook’s industry relationships to incubate, launch, and scale new strategies, growth opportunities and partnerships across Westbrook Studios, Westbrook Media, and Good Goods that are synergistic with the company’s overall mission.

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“We couldn’t be happier to recognize Jesse and the integral role he has had in Westbrook’s growth over the past few years,” said Tera Hanks, President of Westbrook Inc. “He is an incredibly savvy, passionate leader whose creativity continues to position Westbrook at the forefront of an ever-evolving industry. We are thrilled to work alongside him as we continue to build this company and create content that empowers artists and connects the world.”

“Working at Westbrook has been a dream,” said Uram. “In under two years, we’ve established ourselves as innovators across the entertainment landscape, pushing the limits of what’s possible and merging traditional media with bold ideas and exciting new formats. I look forward to all that we will accomplish next.”

Uram has served as VP of Business Development since Westbrook’s launch in 2019, establishing the company’s business footprint. Most recently, Uram brought Samsung, Hulu, and BBH together for the photography competition show, Exposure, a first of its kind project bridging brand storytelling with more traditional narrative entertainment formats. Uram serves as an EP on the series which debuted on April 26.

This year, Uram executive produced Facebook’s Vote-A-Thon 2020!, which was produced by Westbrook Media; helped close a three-year deal for Red Table Talk with Facebook including spinning out the audio rights into a companion podcast with iHeartMedia; assisted in launching Westbrook’s Audio division, which has included partnerships with iHeart, Amazon, and also orchestrated a multi-year original content and marketing partnership with Topgolf. Their first project under the deal is stand-up comedy series, This Joka, at Roku.

Uram joined Westbrook from CAA where he was an Executive on the Global Client Strategy team. While at CAA, he established partnerships and strategies for a diverse set of clients such as Scooter Braun, Bad Robot, Daft Punk, Zillow, IMAX, and Mattel. He supported some of the first VR projects with talent such as Doug Liman and Alejandro Iñárritu. Additionally, he facilitated brand content partnerships that pushed beyond endorsement such as Robert DeNiro/Tribeca and Santander; Ron Howard and Canon; Will Smith/Westbrook and Target.

Prior to joining CAA in 2010, Uram cut his teeth as a Creative Executive at Infinity Media, shepherding several projects. Uram graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in Business of the Cinematic Arts.

The Jada Pinkett Smith-Will Smith-Miguel Melendez and Ko Yada-founded Westbrook has an upcoming feature slate that includes a reboot of the 1980s hit Planes, Trains & Automobiles with Will Smith and Kevin Hart; Emancipation which sold to Apple in the largest film festival acquisition deal in film history; King Richard based on the life of Richard Williams, father to tennis greats Serena and Venus and the upcoming sports drama Redd Zone, starring Pinkett Smith.

On the TV side Westbrook Studios recently launched Amend: The Fight for America, a six-part, multimedia docuseries which uses a narrative format to explore the 14th Amendment through the lens of American history, posing the question, what does “united states” really mean; a two-season order of Bel-Air, the dramatic reboot of Will Smith’s iconic The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air from Peacock in an unprecedented deal based on a spec pitch. The series is set to be written and directed by Morgan Cooper, the filmmaker whose short fan film garnered Smith’s attention when it went viral.

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