Banijay Entertaiment names distribution team

Banijay Entertainment has named its new-look distribution team following the acquisition of All3Media, with a number of senior execs exiting the business, Broadcast International understands.

Cathy Payne-led Banijay Rights’ senior team is made up of: Matt Creasey, senior exec vice president for world excluding EMEA; Stephen Driscoll, senior exec vice president of EMEA; Rachel Job, exec vice president of content; Shaun Keeble, senior vice president of monetisation; and Andy Dickens, exec vice president of communications & marketing.

Among those believed to be departing are a trio of long-standing All3Media senior execs: Gary Woolff, previously exec vice president of strategic development; Nick Smith, exec vice president of formats & licensing; and Rachel Glaister, exec vice president of brands & press.

All three are understood to be taking voluntary redundancy and it is believed that around 95% of those exiting the combined sales operation in EMEA have taken similar VR packages.

Across the broader business, Broadcast International understands that around 70% of mid and upper management at All3Media International will be departing, with around 40% from the Banijay Rights side.

Creasey, whose appointment was revealed last month, will lead sales, acquisitions and co-productions outside of EMEA, having joined the group - then Endemol International - in 2006.

Former All3 exec Driscoll is responsible for tape and format sales in EMEA, having most recently been exec vice president of EMEA & European co-productions, while Job oversees acquisitions having previously led unscripted at All3MI. Keeble will lead digital exploitation while Dickens oversees the division’s PR and marketing.

The broader team comprises: Rashmi Bajpai EVP of Asia; Lyle Bettson-Barker, SVP of Australia and New Zealand; Elliott Chalkley, SVP of UK and Ireland; Marion Vergnaud, SVP of Nordics; Alex Le Merle, SVP of Benelux; Debra Bergg, SVP, Italy & Iberia; Isabelle Queme, SVP, French-speaking Europe; Isabelle Helle, SVP, German-speaking Europe; Jane Rimer, SVP, Canada; Lauren Farrar, SVP, USA; Michelle Wasserman, SVP, Latin America; Alexander Rubanov, VP, Romania, CIS, Ukraine, Georgia & Baltics; Samia Moktar, VP, CEE; Gabriel Andrews, VP, UK; Sarah Loughrey, VP, Turkey, Greece, Cyprus & Malta; Lizzy Ribeiro, VP, Middle East, Africa & Israel; Lottie Wilson, VP, Australia and New Zealand; Pertash Koul, VP, Asia; Cristina Smith, VP, USA; Ivania Zamora, VP, Latin America; and Emily Lawn, sales manager for inflight, transport & clips.

Payne, whose catalogue runs to 265,000 hours and includes shows such as The Traitors and Peaky Blinders, said: “We are entering this next chapter with an extraordinary catalogue, first-class team and a broad reach of expertise.

“Uniting the strengths of both businesses, we have created a distribution powerhouse with the scale and capabilities to deliver growth for the group and even greater value for our producers, partners and clients around the world.”

Jane Turton, deputy chief exec at Banijay Entertainment, added: “Cathy is an outstanding leader. She is passionate about the business and is known and respected by everyone in the market.

“With huge energy and deep knowledge, she has assembled an exceptional team to work with her producers and the vast and growing client base. Banijay Rights is positioned at the heart of the group, with a very clear ambition to continue to grow the revenues generated from rights’ exploitation across multiple platforms and all markets around the world.”