Edward E. Frumkes
- Producer
- Executive
Edward E. Frumkes - A veteran international marketing executive and a
highly respected 25-year industry veteran, Edward Frumkes has
established himself as an innovative and creative executive who
possesses a rare blend of finance knowledge and marketing savvy.
Additionally, his relationships with A-list talent and filmmakers, as
well as with industry leaders, coupled with his knowledge of the
international marketplace and local consumer behavior has established
him as one of the few elite executives able to successfully straddle
the business and creative sides of the industry.
Frumkes most recently served as the head of international theatrical distribution and marketing at Warner Bros. (President, Warner Bros. International Theatrical Distribution & Marketing), reporting directly to Warner's co-Chairmen, Bob Daly and Terry Semel. In this position, which he held from 1995 until his departure in 2000, Frumkes oversaw a staff in excess of 1,500 people working in over 200 different distribution entities spread throughout 135 countries. He joined Warner Bros. International in 1988, was promoted to Senior Vice President in 1992 and Executive Vice President in 1993, before his elevation to President in 1995.
During his 13-year tenure at Warner Bros., Frumkes developed and implemented comprehensive release plans in markets throughout the world. He played a key role in opening up all of Asia including China, Indonesia and Korea to U.S. distributors by the development of key cross-cultural strategies - including the cultivation of appropriate governmental relationships - and his market entry efforts effectively changed the landscape of the international market for the entire industry. As a manager, Frumkes completely restructured the international operation from one with a rigid distribution structure to one with a strategically minded, marketing orientation, and was responsible for the creation, implementation and control of combined overhead and marketing budgets in excess of $400 million per annum.
Among the titles he launched to global success while at Warner Bros. were: "The Fugitive", "The Bodyguard", "JFK", as well as "The Matrix", the "Batman" and "Lethal Weapon" franchises. Frumkes consistently delivered record-breaking years for the studio internationally and in 1999, receipts totaled $1.1 billion making Warner Bros. the first studio to hit that mark internationally.
Both his sustained success and long-term, high-level talent relationships are a testament to Frumkes' understanding of the nuances of the global motion picture business and his ability to exploit American pop culture - in the form of filmed entertainment - to international markets. His strong relationships with the talent involved in the projects he marketed resulted in filmmakers and executives considering Frumkes an extension of the creative process. Frumkes and his team commenced strategizing a film's marketing campaign even prior to the start of production, effectively enabling an industry-wide trend - day and date worldwide releases. Utilizing local-country nationals and territorially specific knowledge, Frumkes and his team would work with each film's creative team in forming innovative marketing campaigns targeted to each foreign market. The resulting publicity campaigns and film launches, which often included worldwide tours with A-list talent, maximized multimedia coverage and were widely considered some of the most successful ever, producing box office receipts that a few years before were considered unthinkable. The emotional connections he makes with the films he promotes, as well as the intelligence and insight he brings to the marketing process have cemented Frumkes' standing as one of Hollywood's smartest and most respected executives.
Prior to his tenure at Warner Bros., Frumkes was Vice President of Advertising and Publicity for Columbia Pictures Corp., headquartered in New York. His earlier positions with Columbia's international operations include Director of Advertising and Publicity - Europe, Africa and the Middle East, based in London.
Born in New York, Frumkes attended George Washington University in Washington, D.C. where he received his Bachelor's degree in international finance and his Master's degree in international marketing. He resides in Los Angeles, California.
Frumkes most recently served as the head of international theatrical distribution and marketing at Warner Bros. (President, Warner Bros. International Theatrical Distribution & Marketing), reporting directly to Warner's co-Chairmen, Bob Daly and Terry Semel. In this position, which he held from 1995 until his departure in 2000, Frumkes oversaw a staff in excess of 1,500 people working in over 200 different distribution entities spread throughout 135 countries. He joined Warner Bros. International in 1988, was promoted to Senior Vice President in 1992 and Executive Vice President in 1993, before his elevation to President in 1995.
During his 13-year tenure at Warner Bros., Frumkes developed and implemented comprehensive release plans in markets throughout the world. He played a key role in opening up all of Asia including China, Indonesia and Korea to U.S. distributors by the development of key cross-cultural strategies - including the cultivation of appropriate governmental relationships - and his market entry efforts effectively changed the landscape of the international market for the entire industry. As a manager, Frumkes completely restructured the international operation from one with a rigid distribution structure to one with a strategically minded, marketing orientation, and was responsible for the creation, implementation and control of combined overhead and marketing budgets in excess of $400 million per annum.
Among the titles he launched to global success while at Warner Bros. were: "The Fugitive", "The Bodyguard", "JFK", as well as "The Matrix", the "Batman" and "Lethal Weapon" franchises. Frumkes consistently delivered record-breaking years for the studio internationally and in 1999, receipts totaled $1.1 billion making Warner Bros. the first studio to hit that mark internationally.
Both his sustained success and long-term, high-level talent relationships are a testament to Frumkes' understanding of the nuances of the global motion picture business and his ability to exploit American pop culture - in the form of filmed entertainment - to international markets. His strong relationships with the talent involved in the projects he marketed resulted in filmmakers and executives considering Frumkes an extension of the creative process. Frumkes and his team commenced strategizing a film's marketing campaign even prior to the start of production, effectively enabling an industry-wide trend - day and date worldwide releases. Utilizing local-country nationals and territorially specific knowledge, Frumkes and his team would work with each film's creative team in forming innovative marketing campaigns targeted to each foreign market. The resulting publicity campaigns and film launches, which often included worldwide tours with A-list talent, maximized multimedia coverage and were widely considered some of the most successful ever, producing box office receipts that a few years before were considered unthinkable. The emotional connections he makes with the films he promotes, as well as the intelligence and insight he brings to the marketing process have cemented Frumkes' standing as one of Hollywood's smartest and most respected executives.
Prior to his tenure at Warner Bros., Frumkes was Vice President of Advertising and Publicity for Columbia Pictures Corp., headquartered in New York. His earlier positions with Columbia's international operations include Director of Advertising and Publicity - Europe, Africa and the Middle East, based in London.
Born in New York, Frumkes attended George Washington University in Washington, D.C. where he received his Bachelor's degree in international finance and his Master's degree in international marketing. He resides in Los Angeles, California.