Jacob Houlind Named CEO for Banijay Nordic

Jacob Houlind has been confirmed as the CEO of Banijay Nordic, set to oversee all operations across its portfolio of 24 companies.

Houlind’s remit spans Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and the UK and U.S., following the recent expansion of Yellow Bird. Houlind has been group CEO and co-owner of Nordisk Film TV since February 2006, selling the company to Banijay in 2009. He later took up the position of group CEO of Banijay Nordic, as a result of the merger of former Nordisk Film TV in the Nordics and Zodiak Media.

The integration process with Endemol Shine Group is now in progress and is expected to be complete by the fall. Karin Stjärne will subsequently leave the business on August 31, having been CEO of Endemol Shine Nordics since 2017.

Marco Bassetti, CEO of Banijay, commented: “Jacob has long been a part of Banijay’s journey. An entrepreneur with a strong creative eye, he is an admirable leader, commercially astute and the best pair of hands to oversee what will be an even more significant region for us moving forwards. With scale, an immense portfolio of IP and some of the best talent in the business, we are excited to see what he and the team have in store for the future. In the meantime, I’d like to thank Karin for her efforts over the years in building up the Endemol Shine Nordics portfolio and production offering.”

Houlind commented: “Banijay Nordic has long been the home of some of the region’s strongest talent and I am honored to be welcoming a host of new creative entrepreneurs into the fold. Combining the strengths of both groups and continuing a multi-brand strategy with a strong focus on creativity, I hope Banijay Nordic will long-continue to be a renowned home for the best creatives in the region on- and off-screen, and a home for IP that travels the world. A special thanks goes to Karin who has built a strong operation in Endemol Shine Nordics and successfully put new and successful scripted, as well as non-scripted titles on the Nordic map.”