“Try to understand not just the industry as a whole but what each company has available for MBAs because it’s not necessarily standard across companies. You have more traditional movie studios like the Big 6 – Paramount, Warner Brothers, Disney, etc – and companies that are more skewed towards tech – like Amazon, Facebook, and Netflix. The way they view and hire MBAs is very different.”

What do you need to know about MBA recruiting for top media and entertainment companies? Darren invites Mark Zee, UCLA Anderson MBA ’14, to share his experience interviewing and working for companies like 20th Century Fox and the Walt Disney Company, where he is currently Director for Pay TV & Digital Sales. Mark also shares his thoughts on building relationships during and after the MBA.

This is Part 7 of our MBA Career Series. Looking for more career-related podcasts? Click here.

Questions

• Common entry points for MBA grads in the entertainment industry (5:21)
• The entertainment industry is in flux (8:46)
• How Mark landed his internship with Fox (11:00)
• The importance of location in industry recruiting (19:08)
• How Mark landed his post-MBA job with Disney (20:10)
• Interviews (38:32)
• Mark’s recommended resources (41:42)
• What do applicants need to know about succeeding in industry (44:21)
• Mark’s reflections on his promotion at Disney (46:43)
• Mark’s thoughts on the future of the entertainment industry (52:16)

About Our Guest

Mark Zee is Director of Pay TV & Digital Sales at The Walt Disney Studios. He joined the company after graduating from UCLA Anderson in 2014. In his current role, he negotiates distribution deals with digital platforms and MVPDs (e.g. iTunes, Comcast); develops new business opportunities (e.g. Movies Anywhere, VR); and provides strategic insights to senior leadership. Previously, he worked on the International Digital Distribution team. His responsibilities cover Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, and ABC Studios.

While pursuing his MBA, Zee completed a year-long internship in digital strategy and sales operations at 20th Century Fox International Theatrical. Prior to business school, he worked in investment management in Houston, Texas and starred in over a dozen television series in Asia. Zee received his undergraduate degree from Princeton University.  As a Chinese-American-Brazilian, he enjoys food, sports, and dancing with his hips.

Episode Sponsor

At MPOWER we believe that helping to turn the dreams of future global leaders and innovators into reality is of utmost priority. Therefore we offer international MBA students flexible financing for their education in the US, without requiring co-signers or collateral. What matters most is their future potential. Visit MPOWER Financing for more information.

MPOWER Financing, DC consumer lending license: ML9261, Public Benefit Corporation

Show Notes

• UCLA Anderson MBA Program
• #48 Inside UCLA Anderson as a Non-Traditional Candidate with Mark Zee ’14
• 20th Century Fox
• The Walt Disney Company
• Vault – Best Media & Entertainment Companies to Work For
• US Media & Entertainment Market Overview

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