NENT Group Appoints New CEO of Studios Operation

Nordic Entertainment Group (NENT Group) has named Alexander Bastin as senior VP and CEO of NENT Studios, from September 1.

Morten Mogensen has been appointed, from the same date, as senior VP and head of the NENT Studios businesses that are currently being sold. Both will be part of NENT Group’s extended group executive management team, together with Kim Mikkelsen (senior VP and head of sport), My Perrone (senior VP and general counsel) and Roberta Alenius (senior VP and head of corporate communications). The company’s group executive management team has eight members and is unchanged.

Bastin joined NENT Group in 2013 to work in the group’s content production businesses and subsequently held various leadership positions in the group’s advertising- and subscription-funded streaming businesses, most recently as Viaplay chief commercial officer and then VP of NENT Group’s subscription video-on-demand operations.

Mogensen originally joined NENT Group in 2005 and has held various senior programming and content production roles, most recently as senior VP and head of NENT Studios Nordics and Central and Eastern Europe.

Anders Jensen, NENT Group’s president and CEO, said: “The main reason that we own production studios is to produce great content for Viaplay, both on our own and in partnership with other companies, and to sell this content to international customers. Viaplay premiered 21 high-quality original productions in 2019 and we will premiere 30 original productions this year, with the ambition of 40 per year in the future. The realization of this ambition requires a complete focus, which is why we are reorganizing our studios’ operations, seeking investment partners and now making these leadership changes.”

“Alexander’s background in content creation and in-depth understanding of our streaming operations make him the perfect candidate for the new leadership role. He will work closely with our content function and external partners to ensure that we deliver a stream of high-quality drama series, films and documentaries on Viaplay. Our originals have proven that they can travel internationally, having been picked up by broadcasters and streamers around the world, and Alexander will build on this further moving forward. Meanwhile, Morten will have a full focus on completing the divestment of the other parts of NENT Studios, which are attractive and successful businesses but have very limited synergy with our streaming strategy and ambitions. We have already received encouraging levels of interest in these companies.”