Just For Laughs President Bruce Hills has been the driving force behind the world’s biggest comedy festival and most prestigious comedy brand for over 30 years. Bruce oversees Just For Laughs in all its forms in all English speaking markets around the world. As COO, his mission is to grow the business, increase both its profitability and value by developing TV and digital broadcast deals, maximizing ticket sales, government grants and corporate sponsors as well as integral partnerships. His main focus is now on building unique festivals and events around the world and growing their broadcast co-producing partnerships.

Starting with his first role as a driver, Bruce has done almost every job imaginable in the organization, including time as Director of Programming and Vice-President of International Television, which saw him work with some of the biggest names in comedy, including Jim Carrey, Steve Martin, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Rogen, Chris Rock, and Jon Stewart. To mark the 35th anniversary of the Montreal festival, Just For Laughs was recognized by the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television with the Canadian Screen Awards’ Icon Award, which was presented by Dave Chappelle on the nationally televised awards broadcast. Bruce was hailed by the UK edition of GQ magazine as “the most powerful man in international comedy” and was humbled to be acknowledged by Dave Chappelle as the “Comedy Curator of a Generation” at the Montreal Festival.