Leona Connell Promoted at Newen Connect

Newen Connect has promoted Leona Connell from executive VP of distribution to chief commercial officer (CCO).

Based between London and Paris, Connell will focus on international and French markets across film and TV. Connell joined Newen Connect in 2020, and she currently leads the fiction and nonfiction TV sales team in France and internationally and supports the financing of Newen Connect projects. Connell also develops co-production partnerships and presales.

In her new role, Connell will broaden her remit to oversee a team of 20 sales representatives across cinema and TV output, covering all genres and types of content.

The creation of the CCO role follows the integration of the TF1 Studio International Distribution Team under the Newen Connect banner in 2022 and supports the distribution company’s ambition to optimize the value of its film rights.

Rodolphe Buet, CEO of Newen Connect, said: “Leona has been extremely successful over the last two years, not only in achieving ambitious financial goals and attracting and developing game-changing sales executives for Newen Connect but also in delivering a distribution vision to our producers. This appointment brings together Newen Connect’s desire to accelerate synergies between the film and TV group, harmonize its processes and create more value for our talented producers.”

Connell added: “The changes within Newen Connect over the last two years have seen the business become a growing force in TV distribution, bringing a wide range of gripping shows from some of the industry’s most respected producers to audiences all over the world. I’m looking forward to building on these foundations in my new role as chief commercial officer, combining our film and TV catalogs and expanding our offer to clients even further, with a wider range and more innovative content than ever before.”