Management Restructure at Endemol, Southern Star

SYDNEY/LONDON: Hugh Marks is stepping down as the CEO of Southern Star, while parent company Endemol today announced a management restructure that sees new roles for Marco Bassetti, Paul Römer and Tom Toumazis.

At Southern Star, Marks is stepping down as CEO after seven years with the company. The move follows the acquisition of the Australian company by Endemol. Marks will continue to assist Southern Star in an advisory capacity while also setting up a new outfit, Media Venture Partners. The company will consult on the development, funding and production of content. With Marks’ departure, Rory Callaghan becomes chief executive, effective immediately. Callaghan joined Southern Star in January 2006 as director of programs. He was upped to managing director in 2008.

At Endemol, meanwhile, COO Marco Bassetti becomes president of the Endemol Group in what the company calls a "non-executive advisory role." A member of the Endemol Management Board, Bassetti will continue to work closely with and report to Ynon Kreiz, the company’s chairman and CEO. His mandate includes senior client relationships, leading special projects and helping to manage the implementation of the company’s growth strategy, including major acquisitions. Endemol’s operating companies around the world will now report directly into Kreiz, who will take on Bassetti’s operational responsibilities.

Paul Römer, the global head of programming, joins the Endemol Management Board and becomes chief creative officer, reporting directly to Kreiz. His remit includes managing the global creative team and further expanding and building on Endemol’s porfolio of entertainment properties across all genres.

Tom Toumazis, Endemol’s chief commercial officer, has expanded his role to incorporate sports, participation TV, branded entertainment as well as consumer products and marketing. He will now work closely with Endemol Sport’s joint managing directors, Lawrence Duffy and Gregg Oldfield, as well as Paul Johnson, the global head of marketing and brand partnerships, and Dennis Janzen, the global head of participation TV. This is in addition to Toumazis’ existing responsibilities, which include overseeing Endemol and Southern Star’s merged distribution business, led by Cathy Payne as CEO.

Kreiz commented: “These promotions underline the leading roles that Marco, Paul and Tom are playing in Endemol’s commercial and creative strategy. In today’s climate it is more important than ever to have the most effective management structure in place and we couldn’t ask for more highly skilled and experienced executives at the forefront of our business.”