MrBeast tapped a new studio leader after Corie Henson’s departure

MrBeast has found a partial replacement for outgoing studio head Corie Henson, two people with knowledge told Business Insider.

Justin Killion was named interim head of MrBeast Studios, which encompasses YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson’s main channel and its gaming vertical.

Henson left earlier in August after about a year in the job.

Killion’s remit is smaller than hers, as it doesn’t include oversight of “Beast Games,” the competition show MrBeast is making with Amazon’s Prime Video, or WatchTime Studios, a new unit created to make video content that’s non-MrBeast centric.

Killion reports to Jeff Housenbold, the CEO of Beast Industries, MrBeast’s holding company, and is working across Greenville, North Carolina, where MrBeast is based, as well as New York and Los Angeles.

The position is an interim role with no defined end date, one of the people said.

While Henson was a product of Hollywood, coming from unscripted TV at NBCUniversal, Killion shares more of MrBeast’s digital media DNA.

He was president of Complex Networks until 2023, the youth-culture publisher BuzzFeed acquired for $300 million in 2021.

Since then, he’s been managing partner of Bright Bay Creative, an external production company that’s made more than 30 videos for MrBeast’s main channel, including 2023’s “7 Days Stranded At Sea,” which has 438 million views.

Its website also lists YouTube, Facebook, and Procter & Gamble as clients.

Henson was among a batch of recent hires with big media pedigrees, reflecting the company’s ambitions to become a Disney-style entertainment colossus. “Beast Games” remains under Tyler Conklin, the show’s co-creator, executive producer, and director.

With the company naming Adam Boorstin earlier this month to lead WatchTime Studios, and now Killion in place, it’s possible the company won’t seek a direct replacement for Henson, one of the people with knowledge of the situation said.