Banijay Appoints Peter Lubbers CEO of Benelux

Banijay has hired Peter Lubbers to be the CEO of Banijay Benelux, the new umbrella spanning the region and its production entities.

Lubbers, who will officially assume the post on August 1, will be responsible for leading \ the strategy and management of the leading international group’s portfolio there. Lubbers joins Banijay from Concept Street, which he founded in 2018 with Roy Aalderink and MGM. His previous roles include director of television at SBS Group, program director at RTL 7, general manager at Zodiak Media and media director at AVRO.

The newly formed Banijay Benelux comprises Zodiak Netherlands, Zodiak Belgium and EndemolShine Netherlands and the associated Dutch production companies, Simpel Media, NL Film, TVBV and Human Factor. Its key brands include Big Brother, Expeditie Robinson, Op1, M, Hunted, Good Times Bad Times, Temptation Island, Penoza, All You Need is Love, Familie and Liefde voor Muziek. Its offering also encompasses EndemolShine Netherlands’ sports division.

Lubbers’ appointment follows CEO of EndemolShine Netherlands Boudewijn Beusmans’ decision to leave the business. He will remain in post through November 30 to assist Banijay and Lubbers with the integration of the activities in the region.

Marco Bassetti, CEO of Banijay, said: “As we scale up our operations in the region, we wanted to welcome a leader who is tapped into the local industry, is familiar with the numerous clients, and can work collaboratively with our labels to ensure creative excellence and leading positions in their respective markets. Peter has the entrepreneurial spirit our business was built on and the tenacity to drive a successful operation for us there. The team would also like to thank Boudewijn for his incredibly valuable contribution to the business—he leaves us a strong brand with an unrivaled track record.”

Lubbers added: “I’m looking forward to getting started at Banijay, where, across Benelux, we are fortunate to have a rich and vast collection of production labels, genres, formats and talent. With collaboration a priority, we will work together to optimize the identity and offering of the group here, while inspiring, entertaining and bringing the best stories to our audiences.”

Beusmans commented: “It has been a privilege to spend the past five years as CEO, while also working closely with the teams in Germany and Scandinavia. It is now time for new challenges in a new environment. With its creative and talented team, EndemolShine has an unbelievably strong market position and an exceptionally exciting future ahead—I wish Peter all the best.”