Entertainment Partners Appoints Chris Gratton as EVP and Managing Director of UK Business

Burbank, CA and London, UK (October 5, 2026) – Entertainment Partners (EP), a global leader in production management and production finance technology and entertainment payroll, announced the appointment of Chris Gratton as Executive Vice President and Managing Director of its UK business, effective today.

In his new role, Chris will lead EP’s UK operations as the company continues to expand its technology, expertise and services for one of the world’s most dynamic production markets.

Chris joins EP from Ticketmaster Sport, where he served as Managing Director and helped drive significant commercial and operational evolution across the business including market expansion, strategic partnerships, product development and modernization, and operational excellence. Among his accomplishments was helping create the first-ever league-wide deal across Premiership Rugby and launch a centralized rugby marketplace, bringing together multiple stakeholders through a new commercial and technology model. 

Earlier in his career, Chris held senior leadership roles at global agencies including FleishmanHillard, Octagon and Leo Burnett, working with leading brands across sponsorship, marketing and integrated campaigns.

Gratton’s appointment comes as EP is expanding its integrated production technology offering in the UK. The company recently announced the expansion of its SmartStart digital onboarding and SmartTime timecard solution in the UK, adding to its existing UK production finance, payroll and production management technology capabilities. 

“Chris brings an important combination of entertainment industry experience, commercial leadership and a deep understanding of how technology can help industries evolve,” said Markham L. Goldstein, President & CEO of Entertainment Partners. “He has a track record of taking on complex challenges, bringing people and ideas together and turning new opportunities into meaningful results. As EP continues to evolve and expand what we bring to the UK market, his leadership will be an important part of helping us build on the momentum we’ve created.” 

“I’m excited to join EP at a time when technology is reshaping how the entertainment industry operates,” said Chris Gratton, Managing Director, EP. “What attracted me to EP is the opportunity to be part of a leading company that sits at the intersection of technology and entertainment, and has the scale, expertise and relationships to make a meaningful impact. I’m excited to work with the team and our clients and partners across the UK to help define the next chapter for the business and the industry.”

Gratton will be based in EP’s London office and will work closely with the company’s global leadership team as EP continues to strengthen its presence in the UK.

About Entertainment Partners

Entertainment Partners (EP) has been a trusted partner to the entertainment industry for 50 years, helping clients produce great content, choose the best production locations, manage and track expenses, and pay crew and talent. EP delivers integrated, cloud-based solutions to support every phase of production. Its team of experts provides industry-leading insights on global and domestic incentives, workers’ compensation, health care, regulatory compliance and labor issues. The company also brings together background casting and digital production technology through the Casting Portal (the leading SaaS-based platform transforming how background actors are found, hired, managed and paid) and the iconic Central Casting, creating the background of Hollywood for 100 years.