Sanford R. Climan

Sandy Climan is president of Entertainment Media Ventures, Inc., a company active in media investment and strategic advisory work, with a particular focus on innovative technologies pushing forward the boundaries of media and entertainment. Climan has also been active in both motion picture and television production, most notably as executive producer of the first digital live-action 3D motion picture, U2 3D, co-executive producer of the CBS primetime series Robbery Homicide Division, and as producer of director Martin Scorsese's The Aviator, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, for which Climan was awarded a British Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award.

Climan has served in a number of corporate senior management positions in media and entertainment. From 2007 to 2010, he was the first CEO of 3ality Digital, a leading company in the development and commercialization of technologies which enable perfect digital 3D image capture, digital 3D broadcast and software that enables consumer applications of 3D entertainment. Within four years, Climan took the company from no certified products to 3ality being recognized as a global leader in 3D technology.  

Earlier positions have included executive vice president and president of worldwide business development for Universal Studios from 1995 to 1997, and as a member of the senior management team at Creative Artists Agency from 1986-1995 and 1997-1999, serving as both a talent agent and as founding head of CAA’s corporate representation practice. At Universal, Climan oversaw corporate international strategy, strategic marketing and five studio operating divisions with $1.4 billion in sales: consumer products, home video, pay television, new media and Spencer Gifts. At CAA, Climan was part of the senior management team for 12 years, representing talent including Robert De Niro, Robert Redford, Kevin Costner, Danny DeVito and Michael Mann. He also served as the founding head of CAA’s corporate practice, working with global companies including Sony Corporation on its acquisition of Columbia Pictures, Matsushita Electric on its acquisition of MCA/Universal, Coca-Cola on revitalizing its advertising, Credit Lyonnais on the restructuring of MGM, and NYNEX, Bell Atlantic and Pacific Telesis on the creation of their video joint venture, Tele-TV.  

Prior to joining CAA, Climan held various executive positions in the entertainment industry. He served as president of Lionsgate Studios; president of Wescom Productions, a subsidiary of Chronicle Publishing; and vice president of Production for The David Gerber Company, a major independent television company. He began his career at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, overseeing pay-television, international theatrical distribution and, later, working in feature film production.  

Climan serves on several charitable boards, including American Cinematheque, The Fulfillment Fund and The Chief Executive Leadership Institute of the Yale School of Management. He is a member of the Advisory Committee to the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and also serves as an advisor on entertainment and media to the World Economic Forum and its Annual Gathering in Davos, Switzerland.