Jeff Kwatinetz

Jeff Kwatinetz
Born (1965-04-15) April 15, 1965
Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.
Education Marlboro High School
Alma mater Northwestern University
Harvard Law School
Occupation Businessman

Jeff Kwatinetz (born April 15, 1965) is an American entertainment industry executive. He is the former CEO of The Firm, a media production and talent management company in Santa Monica, California, and current COO of CubeVision, the film and television production company he runs with his long-term partner Ice Cube.[1] He is also the co-founder of BIG3, a 3 on 3 professional basketball league.[2]

Early life and education

Kwatinetz was born in Brooklyn, New York and lived in Brooklyn until the third grade, when his family moved to Marlboro Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey. He graduated from Marlboro High School.[3] He attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois and was chapter president of the Delta Upsilon Fraternity.[4] He graduated from Harvard Law School with a J.D. degree.[5][6]

Career

He has worked with many celebrities,[7] including music acts Backstreet Boys, Jennifer Lopez, and Kelly Clarkson and actors Samuel L. Jackson, Vin Diesel and Colleen Ballinger.[8]

Kwatinetz founded The Firm in 1997 to quickly become one of the top management and production companies in the industry representing talent in all facets of entertainment.[9] He has been successful in breaking, developing, and managing the careers of artists such as KoRn, Limp Bizkit, Backstreet Boys, Snoop Dogg, Enrique Iglesias, Vin Diesel, Ice Cube, Jennifer Lopez, Kelly Clarkson, OneRepublic, Rachel Weisz, Michael Jackson, Audioslave, Pete Yorn, Puddle of Mudd, and many more. The Firm acquired Artist Management Group in 2002 to add high-profile television and film industry managers and clients such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, Kate Hudson, Benicio del Toro, Bill Condon, and Martin Scorsese and expand into an all-encompassing entertainment management and production company.

Britney Spears

Kwatinetz's company represented Spears for one month in 2007. On September 17, 2007, he released a statement saying, "It saddens us to confirm media reports that we have terminated our professional relationship with Britney Spears. We have represented Britney for the past month. We believe Britney is enormously talented, and has made a terrific record. But current circumstances have prevented us from properly doing our job. We wish Britney the best."[10]

Prospect Park and relaunch of The Firm

Kwatinetz left The Firm in late 2008 and founded the media production, record label and talent management company Prospect Park.[11] He relaunched The Firm in August 2015. Kwatinetz serves as executive producer of the F/X comedy Wilfred and USA Network’s medical comedy, Royal Pains.[1]

Civil Rights Law

In late 2017, Kwatinetz began working with attorney Mark Geragos on numerous civil rights cases, including providing support for Colin Kaepernick's suit against the NFL.

Kwatinetz graduated top of his class at Harvard Law school in 1991. In 2001, he was awarded the ACLU Torch of Liberty for his "commitment to Liberty and Justice for All."

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Andreva, Nellie (August 7, 2015). "Jeff Kwatinetz To Relaunch The Firm Management & Production Company". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  2. ↑ "Ice Cube wanted to keep watching his favorite players so he founded a 3-on-3 basketball league". usatoday.com. Retrieved 2017-04-14.
  3. ↑ Waxman, Sharon. "Firm Believer: With His Hollywood Management Company, Jeff Kwatinetz Is Reaching for the Stars", The Washington Post, July 8, 2002. Accessed June 29, 2011. "Kwatinetz was born and raised in Brooklyn, his father an accountant in the garment industry and his mother a homemaker. When he was in third grade, the family, which included a younger brother, moved to Marlboro, N.J."
  4. ↑ "quarterlysummer1986". Issuu.com. 2010-02-21. Retrieved 2012-10-15.
  5. ↑ "Dog-and-Pony Show". Forbes.com. Retrieved 2016-09-06.
  6. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/06/business/media/using-soap-operas-jeff-kwatinetz-plans-an-online-tv-network.html?pagewanted=all
  7. ↑ "Firm Believer". Washington Post. 2002-07-08. Retrieved 2008-03-21.
  8. ↑ Otterson, Joe. "YouTube Star Miranda Sings Lands Netflix Comedy". Thewrap.com. Retrieved 2016-09-06.
  9. ↑ Waxman, Sharon (March 19, 2004). "Leading Hollywood Talent and Marketing Companies Merge". New York Times
  10. ↑ "Manager dumps Britney Spears". ABC News. 2007-09-19. Retrieved 2008-03-21.
  11. ↑ NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief. "Jeff Kwatinetz Has Left The Firm Tonight; Can The Company Survive This Turmoil? - Deadline.com". Deadlinehollywooddaily.com. Retrieved 2012-10-15.
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