Finland’s ICS Nordic appoints first head of drama

Finland’s ICS Nordic has made four appointments as it looks to expand its domestic and international reach.

Kaarina Leinonen becomes the company’s first head of drama and development, following a two-decade career that has seen her gain credits on long-running series including Yellowfilm’s Syke and Fremantle’s Secret Lives.

Former Mediawan Finland exec Laura Ahola is joining as a staff producer, while Sonja Hammaren is now chief financial officer and Salli Leikola becomes legal counsel.

The hires come four years after ICS Nordic was founded by Ilkka Hynninen, co-founder of Aito Media (now part of Mediawan) and former SBS and YLE exec Ilkka Rahkonen.

Its slate includes drama Blood & Sweat, which is being produced for Japanese streamer Wowow and Finland’s Nelonen, with Boat Rocker Studios selling globally.

The company also signed Sherlock & Daughter creator Brendan Foley to adapt Operation: Arctic Fox into a high-end geopolitical thriller and action-crime drama series.

Rahkonen described the appointments as “a major step forward” for the company that would help it “to develop ambitious IP, deliver at a high level, and build stories that travel.”

Leinonen said: “This role gives me the opportunity to apply my experience in developing new forms of storytelling at a time when ideas must be built as scalable IP from the very beginning.

“My background as a screenwriter, educator and development thinker allows me to approach stories through close creative collaboration. I’m excited to work with the remarkable ICS team and international partners to develop bold, globally scalable stories.”