IMDb Founder Col Needham to Step Back After 35 Years

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1990 saw the birth of the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) by Col Needham at the age of 23. He transitioned it online three years later, making it a go-to source for trivia like “Did that actor appear in those movies too?” which is now often sought through quick Google searches to resolve disputes, serve as daily industry updates, and fuel academic research. More recently, it has become a site vulnerable to user behavior such as “review bombing,” where the star ratings for shows and films are deliberately skewed.

Initially, only actor and actress credits along with two individuals handling the titles were present. By the year 1995, there were twenty employees on board. In 1998, IMDb was sold to Amazon by Needham, though the exact amount wasn’t revealed. When asked about the sale price in 2005 by The Hollywood Reporter, the executive responded, “Considering it was 1998 and involved shares of Amazon, we did extremely well.

As the company expanded, Needham continued his role, eventually unveiling IMDb Pro at the Sundance Film Festival in 2002. In 2008, he acquired Box Office Mojo, a competitor, and later integrated the site into their system. Similar to its parent company Amazon, IMDb has grown to become a internet titan, with over 65 million monthly visitors to its primary website.

35 years after its initial launch, IMDb’s co-founder, Needham, is relinquishing his CEO position. The site has chosen Nikki Santoro, their current COO, to take over as CEO – a role that makes her the second person to hold this position in IMDb’s history. Meanwhile, Needham will continue with the company in the roles of Founder and Executive Chair, maintaining his office in Bristol, England. This announcement was made on Tuesday.

Needham praised Nikki’s forward-thinking perspective, her keen customer and product insights, and her dedication to innovation. These qualities have significantly contributed to remarkable business success during her time as COO. Her history of fostering growth and improving our offerings makes her the perfect candidate to steer IMDb into a fresh phase,” stated Needham.

The site’s income primarily comes from advertising, subscriptions to IMDb Pro, and selling its database to external parties. As an Amazon subsidiary, IMDb has expanded its reach and deepened its connection with its corporate parent, Amazon Prime Video, by incorporating its X-Ray feature, which displays the cast and credits of a movie or show’s talent when play is paused.

Becoming CEO of IMDb is a great privilege and an intriguing task for me,” expressed Santoro, having joined IMDb in 2016 following positions at Amazon, Microsoft, and The Weather Channel. “I’m dedicated to guiding our international team as we strive to further establish IMDb as the ultimate source of entertainment worldwide.

This year, the brand will be back in Park City, Utah, hosting an IMDb dinner with a Sundance theme on January 27th, signifying the significant milestone of the company’s leadership transition.

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2025-01-21 17:25