David Linde (born February 8, 1960) is the CEO of the Los Angeles, California-based film production company Participant, a position to which he was appointed in October 2015.[1] Prior to his role at Participant, Linde had leading roles at Universal Pictures, Focus Features, Good Machine, and Lava Bear Films, where films released during his tenures collectively earned more than $14 billion globally, with 158 Oscar nominations and 34 wins.[2]
Linde was born and raised in Eugene, the son of law professor and Oregon Supreme Court Justice, Hans A. Linde[3] and Helen Tucker Linde. His father was Jewish and his mother is Presbyterian.[4][5] In 1978, Linde graduated from South Eugene High School.[3] After attending Swarthmore College, he moved to New York City[6] where his girlfriend (later his wife) had moved.[7] In New York, he worked as a paralegal for Paramount Pictures from 1984 to 1988[6] where he supervised sales of select international theatrical rights;[8] and then as co-head of the international department at Fox Lorber Associates from 1988 to 1991[6] where he directed the sales of more than 300 independently produced film, documentary and television titles.[9]
In 2002, Linde was promoted to co-chairman of Universal Pictures and subsequently, Chairman.[21] During his tenure, Universal significantly grew its international distribution and production platform across all media and launched Universal's family/animation banner, Illumination Entertainment.[22]
In 2011, Linde founded Lava Bear Films, a film production and financing company developing projects specifically designed for the global marketplace, and served as the company's CEO.[23]
Since joining Participant as its CEO in 2015, Linde has overseen two best picture Academy Award winners — Green Book and Spotlight — along with a best documentary feature Oscar for American Factory and two best foreign-language Oscars for Roma and A Fantastic Woman. He also expanded the company's content approach to include episodic television series and digital short form video through the acquisition of SoulPancake.[30] In September 2019, Participant extended Linde's contract as CEO with a multi-year deal.[31]
Throughout his career Linde has been recognized with numerous awards including The Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneer of the Year,[32] General Electric's chairman's Award for Performance Turnaround,[8] the Anti-Defamation League's Distinguished Entertainment Industry Award,[33] the 21st Israel Film Festival – Visionary Award,[34] New York Magazine: Best Of The Industry Award, the Gotham Award For Distinguished Achievement,[8] the EmPOWerment Award at Variety's Power of Women event,[35] among others. In 2020, Linde received an honorary degree from Swarthmore College.[36] Linde served two terms on the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Board of Governors and as a Treasurer, its Museum Foundation Board of Trustees, and the Academy Foundation Board of Trustees.[37] He serves on the Board of Directors of the British Academy of Film And Television Arts (North America),[38] Film Independent's Board of Directors,[39]American Film Institute's Board of Trustees,[40] and the advisory council of Brooklyn College’s Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema.[41]
^Levine, Syndney (October 11, 2011). "TIFF 2011 and into AFM". indieWIRE. Archived from the original on November 14, 2011. Retrieved November 18, 2011.