Former IMG Exec Joins NGTI as President

WASHINGTON, D.C., March
13: Maurice van Sabben has been appointed the president of National Geographic
Television International (NGTI), effective April 1.

Van Sabben will be
responsible for overseeing the existing factual and kids’ program sales business. He
will work closely with National Geographic Television, source new financing
opportunities for production and forge new production partnerships. Van Sabben
has also been tasked with supporting the development of selected National
Geographic activities in the international marketplace, which includes working
with National Geographic Ventures (NGV) and National Geographic Digital Media
to help drive National Geographic’s growing digital business outside of the
U.S.

Van Sabben will work out of the London office, and will report to Edward
(Ted) Prince, the COO of NGV. Prince is based in the company’s Washington, D.C.
headquarters.

Van Sabben joins NGTI from SNTV (Sports News Television), part of IMG Media.
As commercial director, he was responsible for worldwide sales and business
development.

“With a strong background in business development, digital platforms,
content acquisition and sales, combined with multi-lingual capabilities and
experience of working in different countries in Europe, Maurice has the perfect
credentials to help drive our objectives for both NGTI and the broader National
Geographic business internationally,” said Prince.

Van Sabben added: “National Geographic is one of the world’s leading
media brands and its strategic vision, combined with a focused mission that
genuinely encourages people to care about the planet, makes it a very exciting
and relevant company to be joining at this time. I am delighted to be leading
the NGTI team, selling high-quality factual programming the world over. It is
great to be onboard for MIPTV and I am looking forward to meeting many of our
existing clients and business partners in Cannes.”

—By Ned Berke