Veteran entertainment executive Richard B. Levy (pictured) has been appointed as interim CEO of Montreal’s Just For Laughs Group/Juste pour rire (JFL) following the departure of former president and CEO Charles Décarie.

Levy assumed the role at the beginning of January, a spokesperson for JFL confirmed to Playback Daily, who also noted that “Décarie left the company last December on amicable terms.”

Levy is a co-founder of L.A.’s ICM Partners, which was part of the investor group that acquired Just for Laughs in 2018. The spokesperson said Levy’s “mission as interim CEO is to help lead this company during this period of transition, to ensure it remains healthy, profitable, and well positioned for future growth and success.”

Levy comes to JFL with more than 25 years of experience in the entertainment industry. In addition to co-founding ICM Partners, he served as COO and general counsel, among other roles at different organizations.

Décarie, who had been at the helm of JFL since 2019, announced his departure in a LinkedIn post earlier this week, saying he plans to “focus on new projects in 2024.”

“My last five years within the Group have been an exceptional experience. The opportunity to have led one of the most influential organizations in the world of comedy and entertainment has been a privilege,” said Décarie in the post.

Photo courtesy Just for Laughs Group