James Duffen Appointed CEO Of Imaginae Studios

Fremantle has announced the appointment of James Duffen as the new Chief Executive Officer of Imaginae Studios, reporting to Andrea Scrosati, Group Chief Operating Officer, CEO Continental Europe, Fremantle starting on 20th October 2025.

In his role, James will build the recently announced Imaginae Studios, an AI native studio focused on leveraging the best technologies and tools for the creative community, embracing experimentation, innovation and vision. James will oversee setting the strategy, culture and operating model of Imaginae Studios and connecting with the best talent globally.

James joins Fremantle from Aurelius Advisers, where he served as Managing Director, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, advising early-stage AI companies in the UK, the USA, and EMEA on their sale to global technology groups. Earlier in his career, he held senior roles in media, including VP Special Projects at Zodiak Media and Chief Commercial Officer at TheRightsXchange (TRX), where he drove the platform’s launch and growth, raised investment, and secured partnerships with major studios and distributors.

Andrea Scrosati, Group COO, CEO Continental Europe, said: "I'm delighted to welcome James as the new CEO of Imaginae Studios. With his deep expertise in AI and his connections across the AI ecosystem James is the perfect executive to lead this new venture that will build a unique opportunity for a completely new generation of creative talent to explore, experiment and produce content. Under James' leadership, Imaginae Studios will break barriers to entry by serving as a bridge between human creativity and technology as part of Fremantle’s commitment to providing creative talent with the cutting-edge tools and support to deliver outstanding content to audiences worldwide."

James Duffen, CEO Imaginae Studios, said: "The entertainment industry is standing at the start of something extraordinary. Having spent my career at the crossroads of media and technology, I’ve seen how new ideas can reshape entire industries. AI isn’t here to eclipse human imagination but to amplify it and to expand what’s possible. Imaginae was founded on that belief: that technology and artistry, working together, can shape the next chapter of storytelling."