Endemol UK Ups Two in Senior Management

LONDON: Laurence Jones has been promoted to commercial director of Endemol UK, while Nick Samwell-Smith is being elevated to managing director of the entertainment production arm Initial.

Jones was previously the managing director of Initial, a role that will now be taken over by Samwell-Smith. In his new post as commercial director, Jones will be focused on growing Endemol UK's off-screen revenues across all platforms.

Samwell-Smith was previously the creative director at Initial. As managing director, he will be responsible for further expansion of the company's entertainment output, creating and producing new formats for the U.K. and international markets, and focusing on the continued development of existing hits.

Both appointments take immediate effect, and both report to Lucas Church, the CEO of Endemol UK.

Church commented: “Laurence and Nick have played a central part in the success of Endemol UK's business for many years. They couldn't be better qualified for these leading positions in the company and I’m delighted they’ve accepted the challenge of helping steer the commercial and creative growth of the business."