Factual producer Pioneer Productions has appointed former WBD exec Howard Swartz as Chief Executive Officer.
He starts in the new role effective immediately in Pioneer’s London headquarters, reporting to Tinopolis CEO Jennifer Roberts.
At Pioneer, Swartz will lead efforts to expand the company’s slate of high-quality factual content across genres from feature docs, limited series and docuseries to new formats aimed at younger, digital-first audiences.
Swartz joins Pioneer following a long career at Warner Bros. Discovery, most recently as Senior Vice President, Docs and Specials across its factual networks and streaming, where, since 2018, he oversaw more than 100 hours of Shark Week and launched limited docuseries and feature docs for Discovery and discovery+ including: Emmy-nominated docuseries “Serengeti” from Simon Fuller and John Downer and narrated by Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o and Emmy-nominated feature documentary “January 6th,” directed by Jules and Gedeon Naudet.
“Pioneer Productions has always stood for intelligent, ambitious, and entertaining factual content,” said Howard Swartz. “In the midst of this global television transformation, I’m looking forward to building a slate that honors the company’s DNA while creating space for fresh voices, new topics, and formats that can entertain and inform audiences across broadcast, streaming, digital and whatever platform might come next.”
“Howard brings deep industry experience, a proven balance of strategy and execution, and strong relationships that I know will open doors to storytelling talent at the highest levels,” said Jennifer Roberts, CEO of Tinopolis. “His appointment marks a new chapter in Pioneer’s story, building on a great legacy and laser-focused on where factual is headed next.”
Swartz left Warner Bros. Discovery in 2023 to serve as Executive Vice President of Production and Development at Stephen David Entertainment.
Swartz was previously Arrow Media’s Executive Vice President of Production and Development, responsible for projects that spanned several networks, including History, Science Channel, Curiosity Stream, Animal Planet and Discovery Channel.
Prior to joining Arrow, Swartz served as Vice President, Documentaries and Specials for Discovery Channel where he oversaw high-profile global specials, including Shark Week and “Skywire Live With Nik Wallenda,” which was the highest-rated live event in Discovery Channel history.
Before joining Discovery in 2011, Swartz was Executive Producer at PBS’ acclaimed science series NOVA where he received the prestigious Alfred I. DuPont Award as well as an AAAS Kavli Science Journalism Award. Prior to NOVA, Swartz was with the National Geographic Channel, where he oversaw its signature series “Explorer” and executive produced more than 100 programs, including Emmy-winners “Five Years on Mars,” “Inside the Living Body” and “Incredible Human Machine.”
Jon Creamer
Share this story
