Super-indie group Banijay Entertainment has announced a combined leadership structure for its central scripted division, promoting Steve Matthews to Head of Scripted, Creative, and Johannes Jensen to Head of Scripted, Business.
Reporting to Banijay’s Chief Business Officer Frédéric Balmary, the pair will work with the group’s portfolio of over 60 scripted production labels.
Matthews, who joined the company in 2023 as Content Partnerships Executive, will drive creative vision across Banijay Entertainment’s global portfolio. Jensen takes the helm of the scripted division’s financial and operational strategy to boost performance, support shows to-air, and foster sustainable growth. His new role extends his remit beyond his position as Head of Scripted, Banijay Nordic.
Banijay Entertainment’s scripted productions include Rogue Heroes Series 2, The Rig Season 2, Ripley, The Sixth Commandment, Culpa Tuya, The World According to Lidea Poët, Like Water for Chocolate, Fallen, A Remarkable Place to Die, 30 Coins, Billionaire’s Island, Rivière Perdue and NCIS: Sydney.
Denis Leroy, Senior Director, also sits within the central scripted division, with a specialism in sourcing and developing international scripted formats and book IP. Leroy has led adaptations like SKAM, Fleabag and La Caza. Monterpedido (Rivière-Perdue), in France, and struck numerous deals for best-selling French IP.
Balmary said: “We are incredibly proud of our producers’ achievements in this space and as we continue to grow, the refreshed roles for Steve and Johannes will strengthen our creative and business acumen, ensuring we continue to innovate and lead on the global stage.”
Matthews said: “The key is to support and empower editorial teams and to foster strong creative partnerships between them, across Banijay Entertainment’s scripted network. In working together to develop enduring relationships with talent - established or emerging - we will continue to grow the group’s reputation for first class storytelling”
Jensen said: “In an increasingly competitive environment, success is built on creating and exploiting the most powerful slate of scripted IP possible. Collaboration drives that success, and this new structure will align deal-making nous with creative prowess to ensure we remain globally influential.”
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