Ben Samek serves as Chief Executive Officer for Banijay Americas, where he oversees the company’s award-winning independent production studios across two continents.

Samek joined Endemol USA in 2014 as Chief Operating Officer and transitioned to COO of Endemol Shine North America in 2015. Promoted to President and COO for Endemol Shine North America in January 2018, Samek expanded his areas of oversight to include the Banijay companies in the U.S. and Latin America when Banijay acquired Endemol Shine Group in 2020.

Previously, he held the role of COO at 51 Minds Entertainment, where he worked closely with Cris Abrego, its co-founder, to help grow the unscripted studio from its boutique beginnings into an industry heavyweight that produced more than $100 million a year in content and eventually sold to Endemol in 2008.