European production group launches with Tony Hall as advisor

A new Pan-European media group called Cordoba has launched today with ex-BBC director general Tony Hall and co-creator of Apple’s Siri Dr Luc Julia set to be senior advisors. 

Founded by chief executive Jesse Mimeran, chief development officer Dana Al Salem, chief strategy officer Cédric Torossian, ESG officer Audrey Tcherkoff and special advisor Matthieu d’Arc, Paris-based Cordoba is set to produce original local content and develop original platforms, largely using AI technology.  

Operating with the mindset that technology should elevate but never replace human creativity, Cordoba will partner with TV, film and creator economy companies to develop original content, and produce series, films, non-fiction, branded content and digital experiences.  It will also undertake international co-productions in established and emerging markets. 

The group has unveiled its first project called AI Talents. This is an assembly of 25 AI filmmakers across 12 countries which will aim to establish themselves as a European leader in generative AI content creation. 

It has also announced Cordoba Trackflow, the first platform designed to align AI and content creation from development through to delivery.  

Cordoba will release more about its model, staff and original content in the coming months.  

Mimeran has worked with Unesco and the UN, as well as French media companies Canal+, France TV and TF1, while Al Salem is the former co-founder of Yahoo Europe and Sky Italia respectively.  

Torossian previously worked at Wall Street as an analyst for TF1, M6, ITV and Mediaset and more, while Tcherkoff is the former general manager of the Women’s Forum and former president of the Positive Economy Institute.  

Joining Hall and Julia as senior advisors are Jacques-Henri Eyraud, former president of Olympique de Marseille, former vice president of corporate communication at The Walt Disney Company and co-founder of Media 365, as well as Dr. Alexander Wrabetz Former chief executive of ORF Austria and president of SK Rapid Vienna. 

Mimeran said: “Cordoba is where ideas, cultures, and technologies converge to tell stories that resonate globally. By uniting world-class creative talent with cutting-edge AI, we’re building a new kind of ecosystem – one that’s agile, collaborative and visionary.” 

Hall added: “The power of storytelling has always shaped society and today, Europe has an opportunity to lead global storytelling. Cordoba’s vision deeply resonates with me. It champions creativity, embraces innovation, and gives a platform to diverse voices. I’m proud to support this ambitious collective as it reimagines what European media can be.”