Mediawan to Acquire Leonine Studios

Mediawan has clinched a deal to take full control of Leonine Studios, four years since picking up a 25 percent stake in the German producer and distributor.

Mediawan’s footprint now spans 13 countries and 85 labels, with a catalog of some 30,000 hours. Leonine joins the Mediawan Pictures stable of assets under CEO Elisabeth d’Arvieu, bringing with it a library of more than 4,000 titles. Leonine was founded in 2019 by Fred Kogel with the financial backing of KKR and Atwater Capital, bringing together TMG, Universum Film, i&u TV and Wiedemann & Berg Film, followed by W&B Television, SEO Entertainment, hyperbole, BeetzBros Film Production and Toon2Tango. Following the all-stock transaction, Kogel will lead Mediawan’s operations in the German-speaking regions alongside the existing Leonine management team and will join Mediawan’s executive committee. Mediawan is controlled by its co-founders Pierre-Antoine Capton, Xavier Niel and Matthieu Pigasse, with financial backing from KKR and other long-term partners.

Capton noted: “With the addition of Leonine Studios, we have achieved an important milestone in Mediawan’s strategy to create a pan-European studio with a strong presence in all key markets. I am delighted to welcome Fred Kogel and the entire Leonine team who have built a leading independent studio over the years—together, we will become an even more attractive platform for creative talent and strengthen our position as a leading studio for premium content across all genres.”

Kogel added: “Within five years we have built the leading integrated independent media group in the German-speaking region and a home to some of the best talent in the industry. This is a testimony to the hard work and commitment of all Leonine employees over the years. Our combination with Mediawan to create a pan-European powerhouse is the next step and will bring exciting benefits to our valued partners and customers in Germany, the U.S. and beyond. I look forward to executing on our ambitious growth strategy alongside Mediawan, Leonine’s great management team and our dedicated employees.”

Philipp Freise, co-head of European private equity at KKR, noted: “It has been an absolute pleasure backing Pierre-Antoine Capton and Fred Kogel in building two of Europe’s independent audiovisual content powerhouses. KKR’s investments in Mediawan and Leonine follow a long history of investing behind exceptional entrepreneurs in talent- and IP-centered businesses. We look forward to continuing to work closely with Pierre-Antoine Capton and Fred Kogel as Mediawan enters the next phase in its impressive growth trajectory.”