David T Linde

David Linde is CEO of Participant Media, the global media company founded in 2004 by Jeff Skoll, which is dedicated to entertainment that inspires and compels social change. As an industry content leader, Participant annually produces up to six narrative feature films, five documentary films, three episodic television series and more than 30 hours of digital short form programming through its digital subsidiary SoulPancake. Participant is positioned uniquely within the industry to engage a rapidly growing audience while bringing global awareness and action to today’s most vital issues. Noteworthy films from Participant include Oscar® Best Picture winners Spotlight and Green Book; Oscar® winner ROMA; Academy Award® ​ winner for Best Documentary Feature, An Inconvenient Truth; A Fantastic Woman, which was honored with the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film; acclaimed, award-winning documentaries including Steve James’ docuseries America To Me and Sundance winner The Price of Free; as well as Lincoln; The Help; Wonder; RBG; The Look of Silence; CITIZENFOUR; and Food, Inc. In total, Participant has released more than 80 films, which collectively have earned 73 Academy Award® nominations and 18 wins. Linde’s background spans production, global distribution and building multiple companies from the ground up. Linde most recently led Lava Bear Films, a production and financing company he founded with the support of Reliance Entertainment. While there, he produced the Best Picture Academy Award® nominated Arrival, from director Denis Villeneuve. Prior to Lava Bear, Linde served as chairman of Universal Pictures, where he successfully championed a broad outlook regarding international productions, animation and family entertainment, and distribution. Linde also served on the NBCUniversal board of directors and as the chair of NBCUniversal’s Diversity Council. Prior to his Universal appointment, Linde co-founded acclaimed specialty film studio Focus Features formed from Universal’s acquisition of the acclaimed independent production company Good Machine, of which he was a partner. During his tenure at Focus, Co-Presidents Linde and James Schamus oversaw a diverse slate that was honored with an historic 53 Oscar® nominations and 11 Academy Awards®. Before Good Machine, Linde served on the senior leadership team at Miramax Films and was the founding executive of Miramax Films International. Linde currently serves on the Board of Governors of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, sits on the Board of Directors of Film Independent and is on the Board of Trustees of New Roads School.