EXCLUSIVE: It’s official: Peter Traugott, who recently departed as President of Keshet Studios, has been named President of TV for indie studio Fifth Season, reporting to CEO Graham Taylor. He fills a TV position that had been vacant since the September 2024 exit of then-TV President Joe Hipps, who has since set up shop as a producer at A24.
Fifth Season veterans Noah Greenshner and Maggie Burkhead, who stepped in to lead Fifth Season’s TV division on an interim basis over the past 17 months, have expanded their roles. Greenshner, previously EVP, TV Development and Production, has been named EVP and Head of TV Creative, overseeing all creative aspects of the division and reporting to Traugott. Burkhead, previously VP, TV Development and Production, has been upped to SVP of TV Development & Production, reporting to Greenshner. The duo’s purview includes Fifth Season’s acclaimed Apple TV drama Severance, on which the indie studio is now a producer, and recent Netflix breakout His & Hers.
“This is a huge opportunity for us to add even more momentum to a television department that has been stacking hits,” said Taylor. “Peter has been a force in the business for years. He’s got a rare combination of creative taste and business sense, which can be a gamechanger in a studio’s growth, and the body of work to prove it. As for Noah and Maggie, we’re of course deeply acquainted with their quality. They’ve been key figures in making Fifth Season what it is today, and their new roles will empower them to do even more great work. It’s a big moment for us, and we can’t wait to build the next wave of globally successful series.”
In addition to Apple TV’s Severance and His & Hers, starring Tessa Thompson, Fifth Season’s current TV slate includes the Jason Momoa-led Chief of War for Apple TV as well as the upcoming East of Eden, starring Florence Pugh, also for Netflix; and The Good Daughter, starring Meghann Fahy and Rose Byrne, for Peacock. The TV division’s list of talent deals include Jessica Chastain’s Freckle Films, Beau Willimon’s Westward Production, Amy Adams’ Bond Group, and Ozark creator Bill Dubuque.
Traugott, a veteran TV executive with more than three decades of experience, has overseen more than 50 television series and 1,000 episodes for top platforms and networks. He most recently led Keshet Studios, the U.S. production arm of Keshet International since its 2015 inception, developing and producing shows including Peabody nominee Our Boys for HBO, La Brea for NBC, Emmy nominee A Small Light for Hulu. Prior to Keshet, Traugott founded his own company, TBD Entertainment, under an overall deal with NBCUniversal, and spent 15 years at Brillstein Grey Entertainment where he served as VP and subsequently President of Television during a prolific period for the company that included such series as The Sopranos, NewsRadio and According to Jim. Earlier in his career, Traugott was Director of Current Programming for Fox.
“Fifth Season has built a reputation for creative ambition, backing bold and distinctive series that resonate around the world,” Traugott said. “I’m thrilled to partner with Graham, Noah, Maggie, and the entire team to become a part of that. With the company’s global production infrastructure, the top-tier creator relationships they’ve cultivated, and a development slate that’s stacked with premium IP, we’re in a great spot to continue to build on the group’s success and bring to life stories that is are both culturally and commercially impactful.”
