Bazalgette Exits Endemol

HILVERSUM,
September 27: Peter Bazalgette is stepping down as the chief creative officer
at Endemol and chairman of Endemol U.K. as part of a slate of management
changes announced today, including the appointment of Marco Bassetti as COO.

Bassetti
joined Endemol in 1997 and previously served as managing director of Endemol
Italia and as part of Endemol’s international management team. As COO, he fills
a role that has been vacant since March, following the resignation of Tom
Barnicoat.

As
of January 1, 2008, the Endemol Management Board will consist of Aat
Schouwenaar as CEO, Bassetti and Jan Peter Kerstens as CFO.

Bazalgette
was appointed COO in January 2005 and since then has been responsible for
overseeing the creation of content across the group’s worldwide network. He
will continue as an advisor to the Endemol Management Board in 2008. “I’m not
cutting the umbilical cord completely and I look forward to continuing to
collaborate with the company in 2008,” Bazalgette said in a statement.

In addition, Michiel Buitelaar has
been appointed as senior executive director of digital media and new business. William
Linders is stepping down as executive director of digital media at the end of
this year but will work together with Buitelaar in the interim. Buitelaar
previously held senior positions at Ben (now T-Mobile) and Orange in the
Netherlands.

Pim
Schmitz will become senior executive director of corporate development and
M&A from October 1, replacing Arjen van Mierlo. He previously held senior
positions in investment management at John de Mol’s Cyrte Investment. Schmitz
succeeds Arjen van Mierlo, who has been named executive director of
international operations, reporting to Bassetti.