Former Universal chair David Linde named CEO of Sundance Institute

David Linde, the former chairman of Universal Pictures and CEO of Participant Media, has been named CEO of the Sundance Institute. The nonprofit organization said Thursday that Linde will assume the role on Feb. 17, after this year’s festival concludes.

“I am honored to join Sundance Institute as CEO to steward an organization that is essential to independent artists, the broader creative community, and culture at large,” Linde said in a statement.

His role will include overseeing the Sundance Film Festival’s transition to Boulder, Colorado, in 2027, as well as managing the year-round Sundance Institute programs, including artist labs, grants and fellowships.

A Hollywood veteran, Linde has worked across television and film for decades, cofounding Focus Features and overseeing numerous Oscar nominees and winners in his various roles. During Linde’s time at Participant, which shuttered in 2024, the company produced two best picture winners: “Spotlight” and “Green Book.” He also produced “Arrival.”

Sundance has been operating under an interim CEO, Amanda Kelso, since early 2024 when Joana Vicente stepped down. Vicente had replaced Keri Putnam in 2021. The Institute’s most high-profile event, the annual Sundance Film Festival, is gearing up for its last edition in Park City, Utah which will kick off next week.

Ebs Burnough, board chair of the Sundance Institute, said in a statement that, “David brings a rare combination of industry fluency, social cause management, and deep commitment to artists, positioning the organization to build on our legacy while advancing our mission for the future.”