Key lieutenants for Power of Women honoree Pearlena Igbokwe credit NBCU's strong leadership for driving success and a 'healthy' work culture From Donna Langley to Pearlena Igbokwe to Frances Berwick to Liz Jenkins, female executives largely run the show at NBCUniversal. In television, Igbokwe’s core team is tasked with overseeing NBCU’s television studio imprints — Universal Television, Universal Global Television and Universal Television Alternative Studio — and the scripted activity of NBC and Peacock. And that squad is dominated by women.
Erin Underhill leads Universal Television. Beatrice Springborn heads Universal Global Television. Liza Katz is president of scripted content for NBCUniversal Entertainment.
Toby Gorman is the lone male leading a Universal TV production imprint in his role as head of Universal Television Alternative Studio. Across the Universal-verse, the environment is unusually collegial and collaborative in Springborn’s experience because they’re all striving for the same thing: to make great television. That makes a huge difference, and it is a distinguishing factor for Universal,” Springborn says.
We cheer each other on,” says Underhill, whose division is home to a broad range of shows, from brawny Dick Wolf procedurals to HBO Max’s Emmy juggernaut “Hacks” to Reba McEntire’s NBC sitcom “Happy’s Place.” “When you have colleagues who have your back and are transparent and genuine, it just makes the environment a healthy one in which to thrive,” Underhill says. RELATED STORY: Her Rise to the Top: NBCUniversal TV Studio Chief Pearlena Igbokwe Balances Creative and Business Instincts Springborn underlines the point: “There’s not a sense of competition here. I have been at companies where you’re competing with people you work with.
Pearlena doesn’t impose that, nor would I think she would tolerate it. I think we all subscribe to that.” Katz has been with NBC since 2016. The vibes are good these days in Universal City, especially after the historic studio lot received a substantial overhaul and upgrade that was completed in 2024.
We all just want to do great work.” A collaborative environment makes for a forward-thinking culture. Springborn, who joined Universal in 2020 from Hulu, notes that NBCUniversal was early to recognize the power of global television. Her division focuses on high-end series including Peacock’s Emmy-nominated “All Her Fault” and “The Five Star Weekend,” “The Day of the Jackal” and the upcoming “Dungeon Crawler Carl.” Two decades ago, NBCU began investing in the U.K. market through the banners Working Title and Carnival Films and Television, and by beefing up its international TV assets and capabilities in general.
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