Universal International Studios taps Netflix exec for global scripted series

We Are Lady Parts

Universal International Studios (UIS) has appointed Netflix exec Tesha Crawford as SVP of global scripted series.

Based in London, Crawford will report into UIS President, Beatrice Springborn, with a focus on expanding the studio’s scripted slate in the UK and Europe. She will be responsible for scouting and packaging new projects for UIS and will head up the studio’s UK-based creative team, while working alongside Kelsey Balance, SVP, global scripted series, who leads the US-based team in LA.

Crawford joins UIS from Netflix, where she spent the past six years working across international original series and was one of the first content executives hired on the then Netflix International Originals team. She started in Latin America, building the platform’s slate of originals, including La Casa De Las Flores (aka The House of Flowers), Ingobernable, 3%, Coisa Mais Linda (Girls from Ipanema) and Sintonia.

Tesha Crawford

She then relocated to Amsterdam to lead the company’s first dedicated Nordics series team, developing and overseeing series such as Quicksand, Ragnarok, Home for Christmas, The Chestnut Man, Snabba Cash, Young Wallander, The Playlist and Young Royals.

Most recently based in London, Crawford worked across global franchise series, overseeing shows such as The Witcher and Millarworld.

Prior to joining Netflix, Crawford held the role of SVP of scripted development at Superb Entertainment, developing and packaging shows for companies such asf Lionsgate, Fox and YouTube Red. Before that, she worked at Marvel Live Television, running creative and attaching talent to series such as Jessica Jones, Daredevil and Luke Cage.

“Tesha is such a force and is so respected for her exceptional taste and eye for identifying great global talent. We’re thrilled to have her join the UIS family and look forward to her and Kelsey forging a powerhouse dynamic to bring even more exciting voices and stories to global audiences,” said Springborn.

UIS is home to production companies Carnival Films, Monkey Kingdom, Matchbox Pictures, Working Title Television and Heyday Television, as well as global formats division NBCUniversal Formats. The studio’s credits We Are Lady Parts, Everything I Know About Love, The Capture, Clickbait, Everyone Else Burns, Made in Chelsea, That’s My Jam and The Real Housewives franchise.