Phil Gurin & Lisette van Diepen Step Down from FRAPA Board

Phil Gurin and Lisette van Diepen have stepped down from their roles on the Format Recognition and Protection Association (FRAPA) board, with new leadership yet to be announced.

“It is with sadness and huge gratitude that we thank Phil and Lisette for their incredible contributions to FRAPA for the past decade and beyond,” said the management board of FRAPA. “As FRAPA celebrates its 25th anniversary, it seems fitting to forge ahead into the future and explore how its mission continues in the ever-evolving media landscape. We look forward to working with our advisory board on this and sharing with the wider community our next steps very soon, and seeing our friends and familiar faces at MIPCOM, where we will absolutely celebrate Phil and Lisette’s undeniable contribution to FRAPA and the industry as a whole.”

Gurin was the FRAPA board chair for ten years after he was appointed in 2015, but served the board for a total of 16 years. He is also the president and CEO of The Gurin Company and founder of the specialist format distribution company TGC Global Entertainment (TGC GE).

Van Diepen has also stepped down after ten years on the management board. An international format expert, van Diepen joined the board in 2015 and later became the association’s treasurer in 2019. Through her firm MarphesMedia, she serves as a consultant to BBC Studios Nordic for Scandinavia and acquires content for Benelux production group Vincent TV and German production company Brot und Butter.

“As I prepare to exit stage left from FRAPA, I can say hand on heart that it’s been a privilege to work with so many passionate professionals to help grow this unique volunteer organization,” said Gurin. “But as FRAPA moves ahead, it’s time to hand over the reins to a new generation to tackle the many issues confronting our industry. As for my own future, I have ambitious plans for The Gurin Company and TGC Global Entertainment. Plus, I’m super excited about helping the TV Academy understand and engage with the world of international formats. Suffice to say…”

Gurin will host a session for FRAPA at MIPCOM in Cannes. It will take place at the FRAPA Formats Summit on Monday, October 13, at 3 p.m. in the MIP Creative Hub.