Kevin Mayer, René Rechtman to Deliver MIPTV Keynote

Kevin Mayer, co-chairman and co-CEO of Candle Media, and René Rechtman, co-founder and CEO of Moonbug Entertainment, are to deliver a joint keynote at MIPTV.

Candle Media’s purchase of Moonbug in November 2021 is one of several recent high-profile acquisitions of, and investments in, content companies. It also invested in Hello Sunshine, the media company founded by Reese Witherspoon (Big Little Lies, The Morning Show, Little Fires Everywhere) in August last year. In recent weeks, the company has also completed the acquisition of Israeli production company Faraway Road Productions (Fauda) and taken a minority stake in Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s Westbrook (King Richard, Cobra Kai, Welcome to Earth).

Slated for the opening day of the market in the Palais des Festivals, the session will cover strategy and future plans of the companies along with insights and takes on wider industry trends.

RX France Entertainment Division Director and Director of MIPTV Lucy Smith commented: “It could not be timelier to welcome René and Kevin to the Cannes stage. Moonbug has risen to become a category-leader, built on editorial values and a digital-first approach, in less than four years. Whilst their new owners are presently the industry’s most high-profile, acquisitive startup investing in and supporting storytellers whose companies can thrive creatively, commercially and technically in a future media landscape. It will make for an enlightening and entertaining session.”

The re-shaped MIPTV will take place from April 4 to 6.