Newen Takes Majority Stake in De Mensen

Newen has purchased a 60 percent shareholding in French producer De Mensen, known for TV series such as Reizen Waes and Beau Séjour.

Raf Uten and Maurits Lemmens, founders of the production company, will keep the rest of the capital, a 40 percent interest, and will continue to manage the company.

Bibiane Godfroid, chairwoman of Newen, said: “Following on the heels of Pupkin and Nimbus in 2018, this important operation is emblematic of our development strategy, one priority of which is to foster the development of European drama content by joining forces with the most talented players. De Mensen already has a solid reputation for producing both drama and unscripted content, and significant potential for further development. As part of Newen, De Mensen will be able to build on the expertise that has enabled it to create international successes such as Team Chocolat, Beau Séjour and Undercover. With Romain Bessi, our managing director, we look forward to generating strong synergies in partnership with Raf and Maurits and their teams, not just in the creative process but also in distribution and production.”

Uten added: “This takeover marks the next logical step in our company’s development. We share the same vision as Newen. Like us, they believe in Europe-wide collaboration for the creation of high-quality programmes. We are convinced that international financing is essential for us to be able to continue creating quality content.”

Lemmens said: “We are proud of our achievements over the last 18 years, made possible by so many talented people. We plan to continue on this path while preserving our name and essential character.”