Francisco Ponce
Francisco Ponce is an American television executive, talent manager, and casting director. He served as Vice President of Unscripted Reality Casting at NBCUniversal [Telemundo Enterprises] from 2017 to 2024, where he oversaw talent relations and casting for reality programming on the Telemundo network, including La Casa de los Famosos.
Prior to joining Telemundo, Ponce worked with Estefan Enterprises and founded In2ition Entertainment, a talent management company whose clients included his brother Carlos Ponce and Miss Universe titleholders Amelia Vega and Zuleyka Rivera.
Early life and education
Ponce's parents, Carlos Ponce Sr. and Esther Freyre, emigrated from Cuba to Puerto Rico after the Cuban Revolution. In 1986, his family relocated to Miami, Florida. He is the younger brother of actor and singer Carlos Ponce.Francisco and his brother Carlos attended South Miami Senior High School. where his brother met his future wife, photographer Verónica Rubio, the sister of their mutual classmate Marco Rubio, currently serving as United States Secretary of State.
Francisco studied at Miami Dade College and Florida International University.
Career
Early career (1998–2017)
In 1998, Ponce left retail sales management to enter the entertainment industry, joining Pop Media Group, where he managed talent worldwide including his brother Carlos Ponce. Pop Media Group later joined forces with Estefan Enterprises, the multimedia entertainment company founded by Gloria and Emilio Estefan, where Ponce oversaw the production department and served as production and road manager, touring with Latin music artists throughout Latin America, Europe, and the United States.In 2004, Ponce founded In2ition Entertainment, LLC, a talent management and public relations company specializing in Latin and crossover talent. Through In2ition, he worked alongside major agencies including William Morris Endeavor, Creative Artists Agency, United Talent Agency, Trump Model Management, and the Miss Universe Organization. Among his clients were Miss Universe titleholders Amelia Vega and Zuleyka Rivera, both of whom won during Donald Trump's ownership of the pageant.
As of 2005, his clients included his brother Carlos Ponce, Amelia Vega, and singer Shalim. During this period, Ponce also worked with business partner Emilio Estefan on projects including "Voces de América" featuring Vega. A 2003 profile in The Orange County Register identified Francisco as part of Carlos Ponce's management team, alongside music producer Emilio Estefan. Francisco continued to manage his brother's career through Carlos's crossover into English-language television and film, which included appearances in series such as Cristela and Devious Maids, as well as a voice role in the animated film Rio.
NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises (2017–2024)
Ponce joined NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises in 2017 under Chairman Cesar Conde. His appointment was officially announced on June 6, 2017. He was named Vice President of On-Air Talent Management, a newly created position reporting to Claudia Foghini, Executive Vice President of Talent and Production Management Services at Telemundo Networks and Studios.As Vice President of On-Air Talent Management, Ponce oversaw talent relations and negotiations for the network. During his tenure, Telemundo's daytime programming saw several casting and format changes. In October 2020, Al Rojo Vivo transitioned to a dual-anchor format with Jessica Carrillo and Antonio Texeira. In February 2021, the network launched Hoy Día with new hosts Arantxa Loizaga, Nacho Lozano, and Nicole Suárez, while Adamari López and Stephanie Himonidis continued from its predecessor Un Nuevo Día. In March 2022, the network launched La Mesa Caliente, an afternoon talk show hosted by Myrka Dellanos, Giselle Blondet, Verónica Bastos, and Alix Aspe.
Ponce later transitioned to Vice President of Unscripted Reality Casting while continuing his talent relations responsibilities, overseeing celebrity casting for the network's entire primetime reality programming grid. Ponce served as casting director for La Casa de los Famosos since its inception, which featured television personalities such as Laura Bozzo, as well as Top Chef VIP, with participants such as actress Marlene Favela, Los 50, La Isla: Desafío Extremo, and Así Se Baila, a celebrity dance competition for which he personally recruited Colombian actor Gregorio Pernía.
During Ponce's tenure as casting executive, Telemundo also launched MasterChef Latino, La Voz hosted by Jacky Bracamontes and Jorge Bernal with coaches Carlos Vives, Wisin, Luis Fonsi, and Alejandra Guzmán—whose 2019 grand finale ranked as the highest-rated Sunday night program on Spanish-language television among adults 18–49, El Domo del Dinero, Por Amor o Por Dinero hosted by Carlos Ponce, and The Wall hosted by Marco Antonio Regil.
During Ponce's tenure, Telemundo's primetime programming became the ratings leader among Spanish-language networks, and in several instances outperformed general market networks.
Ponce departed from NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises in May 2024 after seven years with the company.
Post-Telemundo career (2024–present)
Following his departure from Telemundo, Ponce founded The P11nce Group LLC, a talent and brand strategy consulting firm based in Doral, Florida.Filmography
The following programs were produced during Ponce's tenure at NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises :| Year | Title | Role | Notable Cast | Nominations/Awards | Notes |
| 2017–2021 | Un Nuevo Día | Talent management | Adamari López, Rashel Díaz, Marco Antonio Regil, Héctor Sandarti | Daytime Emmy Award ; GLAAD Media Award | Daily series; ended February 2021 |
| 2021–2024 | Hoy Día | Talent management | Arantxa Loizaga, Nacho Lozano, Nicole Suárez, Adamari López, Stephanie Himonidis | Telly Award Gold Winner | Daily series; replaced Un Nuevo Día |
| 2017–2024 | Al Rojo Vivo | Talent management | Jessica Carrillo, Antonio Texeira | Daytime Emmy Award nom. | Daily series |
| 2018–2019 | MasterChef Latino | Casting | Aracely Arámbula, Gaby Espino, Claudia Sandoval | ||
| 2019–2020 | La Voz | Casting | Luis Fonsi, Carlos Vives, Wisin, Alejandra Guzmán, Jacky Bracamontes, Jorge Bernal | ||
| 2020 | The Wall | Casting | Marco Antonio Regil | Spanish-language version | |
| 2020 | El Domo del Dinero | Casting | Zuleyka Rivera | ||
| 2021 | Por Amor o Por Dinero | Casting | Carlos Ponce | Dating competition | |
| 2021–2024 | La Casa de los Famosos | Casting director | Alicia Machado, Gabriela Spanic, Pablo Montero, Laura Bozzo, Niurka Marcos, Ivonne Montero, Madison Anderson, Maripily Rivera | Produ Award nom. | |
| 2021 | Así Se Baila | Casting | Gregorio Pernía, David Chocarro, Lorenzo Méndez, Laura Flores, Adamari López | Winners: Gregorio & Luna Pernía | |
| 2021–2024 | La Mesa Caliente | Talent management | Myrka Dellanos, Giselle Blondet, Verónica Bastos, Alix Aspe | Daily series | |
| 2022–2024 | Top Chef VIP | Casting director | Lambda García, Marlene Favela, Zuleyka Rivera, Gregorio Pernía, Chiky Bombom, Alicia Machado | Winner S1: Lambda García | |
| 2023–2024 | Los 50 | Casting director | Manelyk González, Lambda García, Salvador Zerboni, Julia Gama, Thalí García | Produ Award nom. | Winner: Ana Parra |
| 2024 | La Isla: Desafío Extremo | Casting director | Julián Gil, Sergio Mayer, Carmen Aub, Angélica Celaya, Aylín Mújica, Julia Gama |