Banijay Nordic today announces new senior leadership at Swedish scripted label Yellow Bird, with Jakob Feeney stepping up to become Chief Executive Officer, taking up the role on November 1st.
Feeney has been Head of Business Development at Yellow Bird since January 2022. Prior to his time at the company, he held numerous positions in the film and television industry, including CEO and COO at Film Finances Scandinavia, as well as senior roles at Bonnier Broadcasting and DLA Piper. He initially launched his career as a freelance film producer in 2006.
At Yellow Bird, Feeney will oversee the company’s high-profile slate for the local and international market, and seek new business opportunities, leading the company’s team of in-house creative producers. He will report to Banijay Nordic’s CEO, Jacob Houlind, and the region’s Head of Scripted, Johannes Jensen.
Yellow Bird credits include a TV drama prequel to Jo Nesbø’s highly acclaimed, fast-paced corporate thriller Headhunters, which wlll launch on CMore next week, a third run of crime drama Bäckström, and second season of Threesome, which is currently on air, and fresh from a Kristallen win for Samuel Fröler as Best Supporting Actor on series two of The Truth Will Out . Earlier successes include Millennium Trilogy, Occupied, Rebecca Martinsson and over 30 Wallander films.
Other recent deals include a co-production with Yellow Bird UK on forthcoming Netflix series Playlist, along with an English-language version of hit series The Truth Will Out, which will be developed in the US by Endemol Shine North America, with Emmy-winning director/producer Joe Berlinger attached to the project.
Jakob Feeney comments: “With the ever-growing demand for Swedish content, plenty of projects in the pipeline, a portfolio of returning hits, and a brilliant team of in-house producers, there are significant opportunities ahead for Yellow Bird. I’m hugely excited to step up and lead the company into its next phase, futher growing the creative environment it is so well-known for.”
Jacob Houlind, Chief Executive Officer at Banijay Nordic says: “During his time so far at Yellow Bird, Jakob has excelled in his role, bringing a huge amount of energy, and we’re looking forward to seeing him further build the business as CEO. I’m confident Jakob will expand Yellow Bird’s name as a major international scripted label, encouraging alliances with top creatives and script writers, collaborating with the best in the industry to produce high-end, premium drama for both linear broadcasters and streamers.
Johannes Jensen, Head of Scripted at Banijay Nordic says: “Yellow Bird has an outstanding reputation across the region, and beyond, for producing a fanastic portfolio of local and international hits. Jakob is familiar with the business and we are thrilled to further foster his talent with this promotion, leading the team and reinforcing Yellow Bird’s position as a strong scripted label and market leader.”
The wider Banijay Nordic group encompasses the region’s very best scripted labels, behind internationally-recognised drama and comedy. Recent and forthcoming credits from around the region include Fallen (Filmlance for CMore), Dance Brothers (Endemol Shine Finland for Netflix), Ronja the Robber’s Daughter (Filmlance for Viaplay), Countrymen (Rubicon for NRK), A Class Apart (Jarowskij in co-production with Brommamamma, Film I Väst and Nent Group for Viaplay), Detective Marie Kallio(Banijay Finland for CMore), and Filmlance’s long-running detective drama Beck (Filmlance for CMore).
Feeney replaces current CEO Stefan Baron, who has decided to step down and leave the company. Baron first joined as Head of Business Development in 2018 and became CEO in November 2020.