Endemol Shine Australia Promotes Key Executives

Endemol Shine Australia has promoted several staff members to new executive positions, including elevating executive producer Tara McWilliams to director of content.

McWilliams will expand her remit, overseeing a portfolio of shows across the Endemol Shine Australia slate while retaining oversight of Married at First Sight. She joins existing Directors of Content Amelia Fisk and Marty Benson.

Executive producer David McDonald has been promoted to head of comedy, charged with steering the company into new territory with scripted and sketch comedy, as well as other light entertainment projects. He will continue to oversee LEGO Masters and Gogglebox.

Sara Richardson, executive producer of scripted, has been upped to head of scripted, where she will continue to develop the company’s slate of scripted content.

McWilliams, McDonald and Richardson will report to Peter Newman, CEO of Endemol Shine Australia.

“The appointments we make today are richly deserved and speak to the talent, experience and drive of these three brilliant individuals,” said Newman. “Tara is without question one of Australia’s most outstanding unscripted creatives. Her phenomenal experience and passion will now plug into even more of our exciting unscripted slate.

“Combined with his exceptional showrunner experience, David’s natural comedic talent and credentials make him the perfect choice to break new comedy ground and to lead the charge for us into this space.

“In just 12 months, Sara has shown us what an incredible talent she is. Her passion for the scripted genre clearly demonstrates she has what it takes to drive our scripted business further and stands ready to deliver new, exciting projects in this important space for ESA.”