Lloyd Braun

Lloyd Braun
Born	1958 (age 58–59)
Nationality	United States
Education	B.A. Vassar College
Occupation	Media executive
Known for	Owner of Whalerock Industries

Lloyd Braun (born 1958) is a television and Internet media executive who is currently the owner of entertainment company Whalerock Industries.

Born to a Jewish family, Braun earned his B.A. from Vassar College in 1980, and his law degree from Hastings College of the Law in 1983. He served on the Vassar Board of Trustees, his seat having expired in 2010.

Prior to becoming a television executive, Braun practiced entertainment law for 10 years, representing several high-profile clients such as Larry David, Howard Stern and David Chase. The character Lloyd Braun on the sitcom Seinfeld was named after him, since the media executive served as the lawyer of Larry David. In an interview between Larry David and Howard Stern, David reveals that a conversation he had with Braun about Braun's father served as a 'jumping-off point' for the writing of his Broadway play 'Fish In The Dark'.

Braun's first major success came with producer David Chase for their idea for the show The Sopranos. He went on to serve as the Chairman of the ABC Entertainment Group from 2002 to 2004. Braun was forced out of his position at ABC shortly after greenlighting the $13 million pilot to the television show Lost, one of the most expensive in modern broadcasting. His decision was vindicated, however, when the show went on to become a huge success. Braun and his partner, Susan Lyne, also greenlit other ABC shows that went on to great success in the years following his dismissal, including Desperate Housewives, Extreme Makeover Home Edition, Boston Legal and Grey's Anatomy. These shows began an unprecedented turnaround for ABC.

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