FremantleMedia Announces Restructure

LONDON: A restructure at FremantleMedia announced today calls for the creation of a new global division focused on distribution and kids and family entertainment, to be led by David Ellender as CEO of FremantleMedia International and Kids, with digital, licensing, sponsorship and other ancillary activities to be managed by the company’s regional production operations.

Ellender was previously global CEO of FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME), a division that will no longer exist as part of the restructure. As CEO of FremantleMedia International and Kids, he reports directly to Cecile Frot-Coutaz, CEO of FremantleMedia. A new division will be created to lead digital and branded-entertainment efforts. It has not yet been decided who will helm that new division. Sander Schwartz will continue to lead the kids and family entertainment division, reporting to Ellender.

"This is a very powerful shift in our company’s structure that we believe will significantly strengthen our core business activities, while also better positioning us to capitalize on growth opportunities for the future," said Frot-Coutaz. "We have a built a formidable expertise in extending our market-leading brands both on and beyond the television screen, through licensing, sponsorship, digital activities and other valuable commercial ancillaries. By transferring these skills into our local production businesses, we create a far more direct and seamless integration between our production efforts and the commercial activity surrounding our hit shows. Not only will this bolster and enhance our creative development process, but it will also give us the ability to manage and grow our brands in a far more holistic way, creating added value and the opportunity for even greater engagement with viewers around the world. At the same time, we will continue to focus on our world class distribution capabilities and on our growing kids and family entertainment business under the leadership of David Ellender, as well as on our significant digital and branded entertainment activities worldwide. We’re very proud of the capabilities we have built through our creative and commercial operations so far, and are confident that these proposed structural changes will drive a very exciting next stage of growth and development.”