MTG Reorganizes Team & Makes Promotions

STOCKHOLM: Modern Times Group has reorganized its management and operating structure with the appointment of Jørgen Madsen as executive VP of Nordic Broadcasting, and Anders Nilsson as executive VP of Central European broadcasting.

The nine-person executive management team reporting to group president and CEO Hans-Holger Albrecht is also comprised of Irina Gofman, who continues as the executive VP of Russian and CIS broadcasting; Mathias Hermansson (CFO), Martin Lewerth (executive VP of pay TV and technology); Patrick Svensk (executive VP of content); Marc Zagar (executive VP of finance); Petra Colleen (executive VP of Administration); and Laurence Miall-d’Août (executive VP), who is taking maternity leave before returning to a new role.

The group’s Nordic pay-TV operations will now be run by Hans Skarplöth, reporting to Madsen, while the free-TV operations will be run on a country-by-country basis and also report to Madsen. Manfred Aronsson will be responsible for Sweden, Kim Poder for Denmark and Lasse Kokvik for Norway. P4 Radio in Norway will also report to Madsen. Joseph Hundah has been appointed CEO of the group’s African television operations, comprised of the Viasat1 free-TV channel in Ghana and the group’s pay-TV channel operations in Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda. He will report directly to Albrecht. Hein Espen Hattestad, former CEO of MTG Norway, has chosen to leave the group.

Albrecht commented: “These changes reflect the fact that MTG has grown substantially in scale and focus over the past few years, as well as the reality that our industry is today changing more rapidly than ever and becoming more and more competitive. Our success has always been driven by the ability to constantly innovate and challenge convention, to share knowledge and best practice effectively, to make and implement decisions quickly, and to generate synergies through ever-increasing efficiency levels. We have the largest geographical broadcast footprint in Europe and our Viasat TV channels are today available in 35 countries on either our own distribution platforms, third party networks or the internet, so it is more important than ever that we are able to combine individual market understanding and specialization with optimal regional and central management functions. This is a significant change for us and the capacity to make these senior appointments internally demonstrates the strength and depth of our resources.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Hein Espen for his considerable contribution to the group’s development over the past 10 years and to wish him well for the future. I would also like to welcome Joseph to the group in a newly created role that highlights our commitment to developing our presence in Africa.”

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