Sophie Turner Laing to Lead Merged Shine-Endemol-Core Venture

LONDON: Sophie Turner Laing, former managing director of content at BSkyB, has been tapped to lead a new TV production group that will be formed through the merger of Endemol, Shine and Core Media.

Turner Laing left BSkyB in May; she had been with the company since 2003.

Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox, which owns Shine, and Apollo Global Management, which controls Endemol and Core Media, previously announced plans to combine those entities. They are now in the final stages of establishing the new structure of the group, which will boast companies such as Kudos, Darlow Smithson, Tiger Aspect and Princess Productions. Shine chief executive Alex Mahon and Endemol chief executive officer Just Spee are said to remain in their respective roles until the deal is closed, but will leave after regulatory clearances are reached.