Liesl Copland

As Executive Vice President, Content Strategy, Liesl Copland oversees Participant’s global sales efforts and works in tandem with the company’s content teams throughout development and production, advising on optimal strategic options and partner strategy for all of Participant’s projects.

Having worked at powerhouses including WME, Netflix and Endeavor Content, Copland’s expertise in the rapidly changing media landscape allows her to bring her market focus to Participant’s high-quality film and television output. She ensures that the company’s impact-focused slate meets the demands of the marketplace and finds the widest possible audience.

A 20-year entertainment industry veteran, Copland has worked in the specialty film sector for most of her career, with the goal of democratizing distribution for unique, independently produced projects. Before joining Participant, Copland was a Partner and EVP at Endeavor Content where she ran their Documentary practice after years of being at WME focused on film advisory, sales and financing. She oversaw feature documentaries and premium nonfiction series and provided strategic advice to the studio’s growing production partners. During her twelve years with the Endeavor suite of companies, Copland focused on the emerging digital distribution space as part of her corporate advisory work and consulted for numerous startups.

Prior to joining Endeavor in 2008, Copland acted as the Head of Red Envelope Entertainment, the former original content division of Netflix, where she oversaw the acquisition, marketing and distribution of close to 100 films a year during their three years in existence. She developed a reputation for successfully forging innovative partnerships with studios and mini-majors, boutique distribution labels and nontraditional, new media-focused outlets. Her previous entertainment industry experience includes time at New York-based Cinetic Media, years as an independent producer as well as posts at the Tribeca Film Festival and IFP.

Across her entire career, Copland has built in a double bottom line approach to her practice and has a deep focus on social justice reform and impact focused content. She serves on the Board of Represent Justice, the advisory board of SommTV and is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley with degrees in both English Literature and Art History. Copland was born and raised in Northern California, and now lives in Los Angeles with her husband, two children and their rescue mutt, Starsky.