Fremantle has appointed James Duffen as the new Chief Executive Officer of Imaginae Studios,
Duffen will build the recently announced Imaginae Studios, an AI native studio focused on leveraging technologies and tools for the creative community. He will oversee setting the strategy, culture and operating model, reporting to Andrea Scrosati, Group Chief Operating Officer, CEO Continental Europe, Fremantle.
Duffen joins Fremantle from Aurelius Advisers, where he served as Managing Director, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, advising early-stage AI companies in the UK, the USA, and EMEA on their sale to global technology groups. Earlier in his career, he held senior roles in media, including VP Special Projects at Zodiak Media and Chief Commercial Officer at TheRightsXchange (TRX), where he drove the platform’s launch and growth, raised investment, and secured partnerships with major studios and distributors.
James Duffen, CEO Imaginae Studios said: “The entertainment industry is standing at the start of something extraordinary. Having spent my career at the crossroads of media and technology, I’ve seen how new ideas can reshape entire industries. AI isn’t here to eclipse human imagination but to amplify it and to expand what’s possible. Imaginae was founded on that belief: that technology and artistry, working together, can shape the next chapter of storytelling.”\
Andrea Scrosati Group COO, CEO Continental Europe said: “I’m delighted to welcome James as the new CEO of Imaginae Studios. With his deep expertise in AI and his connections across the AI ecosystem James is the perfect executive to lead this new venture that will build a unique opportunity for a completely new generation of creative talent to explore, experiment and produce content. Under James’ leadership, Imaginae Studios will break barriers to entry by serving as a bridge between human creativity and technology as part of Fremantle’s commitment to providing creative talent with the cutting-edge tools and support to deliver outstanding content to audiences worldwide.”
Fremantle announced the launch of Imaginae Studios in April 2025. The brand new, standalone label is designed to harness the power of AI and to service and support our creative talent, pushing production boundaries and driving innovation in storytelling. Imaginae Studios will be dedicated to leveraging all AI solutions, technologies and tools for the creative community, embracing experimentation, innovation and vision. Operating in full independence, Imaginae Studios will push the boundaries of what is possible in media and entertainment, producing groundbreaking content while adhering to the strictest property and compliance standards.
Pippa Considine
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