Company Announces New Leadership: Servo Appoints New CEO
SERVO Appoints Sam Pantos as CEO, Bolstering Australia's Film Production Services
In a significant move for the Australian film industry, Sam Pantos has been named as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SERVO, a leading end-to-end film production services company. The appointment was made in August 2025, marking a new chapter in SERVO's growth [1][2][3].
With an extensive background in production finance and operations, Pantos brings a wealth of experience from major film and television institutions. Before joining SERVO, he served as Director of Operations at NEOM Media Industries, where he played a pivotal role in expanding Saudi Arabia's screen capacity and delivering the region's first purpose-built studio facility [1][2].
Founded in 2023, SERVO offers a wide range of services, including incentive financing, location, post-production, digital, visual effects (PDV), and producer offsets. The company has quickly become an essential production services partner to several global film and television studios, contributing to productions with over $1 billion in Qualifying Australian Production Expenditure (QAPE) [3].
Pantos's appointment comes at a time when Australia is growing in prominence as a major global production hub. He will lead SERVO's team in driving growth and ensuring the company continues to deliver high-quality, integrated production services to international film and TV productions operating in Australia [1][2][3].
Under Pantos's leadership, SERVO aims to strengthen its position as Australia’s premier one-stop-shop for film producers. The company operates offices in Sydney, Melbourne, and the Gold Coast, and will open a new office in Western Australia when Perth Studios begins operations [3].
In addition to Pantos, SERVO's executive team includes Mel Chryssochoides, William Creamer, Julie Stewart, and Michael Pontin. The founders and board members of SERVO include Dean Hood, Jon Kuyper, Genevieve Hofmeyr, Marvin Saven, and Jamie Hilton [3].
Notable productions that SERVO has supported include Ron Howard's Eden, generating approximately AUD26.5 million to the Queensland economy and supporting over 300 local jobs. They have also provided production services for Liam Neeson's action thriller Ice Road: Vengeance and Shane Black's big-budget crime film Play Dirty for Amazon MGM Studios [3].
One of Pantos's key initiatives at SERVO will be to offer incentive financing for independent productions and develop a Net Cost model that increases the volume of international PDV projects coming into Australia. This move is expected to further boost the Australian film industry's appeal to international producers.
References: [1] The Australian Financial Review, "Sam Pantos Joins SERVO as CEO", 2025 [2] Screen Daily, "Sam Pantos Named CEO of SERVO", 2025 [3] Variety, "SERVO Appoints Sam Pantos as CEO", 2025
Sam Pantos's appointment as CEO of SERVO is a strategic move that leverages his experience in productions and finance within the business sector of the film industry. With his leadership, SERVO aims to strengthen its presence in the technology-driven PDV industry, aligning with Australia's growing status as a major global production hub.
