Longtime FX business affairs lawyer Shola Ajewole has been named to the newly formed position of senior vice president of creative and cultural diversity at the premium cabler.
Ajewole, who will report to FX chairman John Landgraf, will head FX and FX Productions’ diversity and inclusion efforts, to “help ensure they are reflected in all aspects of its culture, creative relationships and content, working closely with talent to support their goals.” He will also work closely with Disney General Entertainment Content’s diversity and inclusion team on its corporate initiatives.
“I’m honored to take this new role and excited to work with John Landgraf, Eric Schrier and the rest of my colleagues to help FX build on its tradition of empowering diverse creative voices and championing content that celebrates understanding and inclusion,” said Ajewole. “Throughout my career, I’ve remained committed to inclusion because it’s enormously rewarding from an artistic, business and cultural level. FX has been a leader and a model for change in our industry and I’m thrilled to help us build upon that legacy.”
Ajewole first joined FX in 2016 as VP of business affairs, shepherding deal-making across scripted, animated and unscripted projects and forming partnerships across various FX and Walt Disney Television divisions. He was previously VP of business and legal affairs at Fox 21 Television Studios, and first came to Fox in 2013 as director of business and legal affairs for Fox Sports. A Columbia University law school graduate, Ajewole has also previously worked in business affairs at ABC Television Group ABC Studios, Comcast Entertainment Group and Weil, Gotshal and Manges. He is also a founding member of the LA chapter of 21st Century Fox Black Employee Network Group (NOIR), Walt Disney Television’s Black Business Employment Resource Group (NOIR LA) and Fox Networks Group’s Pro-Bono Counsel.
“I can’t think of a better person than Shola to take this new role as we strive to be more inclusive and continue to develop programming that is more reflective of our world,” said Landgraf. “We’ve had the great fortune of working closely with Shola on the legal side of our original programming, and it became very clear to me and everyone on our team that he was a perfect fit for this position. He understands our brand, has great creative instincts and is passionate about this opportunity to help us improve and diversify the FX brand and culture.”
