Banijay Group is the world's largest independent content creation Group for television and multimedia platforms. Banijay Group is present in 16 territories.
Banijay Group is the world's largest independent content creation Group for television and multimedia platforms. Banijay Group is present in 16 territories.

Tag Archive: Belgium

  1. Banijay Hires Peter Lubbers as CEO of Benelux

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    Banijay today reveals it has appointed Peter Lubbers as CEO of Banijay Benelux, the new umbrella spanning the region and its production entities. Beginning in post on 1 August 2020, he will be responsible for leading on the strategy and management of the leading international group’s portfolio there.

     

    Lubbers joins from Concept Street, which he founded in 2018 together with Roy Aalderink and MGM (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer). His previous roles include director of television at SBS Group, programme director at RTL 7, general manager at Zodiak Media and media director at AVRO.

     

    Newly-formed Banijay Benelux comprises Zodiak Netherlands, Zodiak Belgium and EndemolShine Netherlands and the associated Dutch production companies, Simpel Media, NL Film, TVBV and Human Factor. Its key brands include Big Brother, Expeditie Robinson, Op1, M, Hunted, Good Times Bad Times, Temptation Island, Penoza, All You Need is Love, Familie and Liefde voor Muziek. In addition, its offering encompasses EndemolShine Netherlands’ sports division, which stands as the largest in the country, responsible for numerous live football fixtures.

     

    Marco Bassetti, Chief Executive Officer, Banijay comments: “As we scale up our operations in the region, we wanted to welcome a leader who is tapped into the local industry, is familiar with the numerous clients, and  can work collaboratively with our labels to ensure creative excellence and leading positions in their respective markets. Peter has the entrepreneurial spirit our business was built on and the tenacity to drive a successful operation for us there. The team would also like to thank Boudewijn for his incredibly valuable contribution to the business – he leaves us a strong brand with an unrivalled track record.”

     

    Peter Lubbers comments: “I’m looking forward to getting started at Banijay, where, across Benelux, we are fortunate to have a rich and vast collection of production labels, genres, formats and talent. With collaboration a priority, we will work together to optimise the identity and offering of the group here, while inspiring, entertaining and bringing the best stories to our audiences.”

     

    Boudewijn Beusmans comments:“It has been a privilege to spend the past five years as CEO, while also working closely with the teams in Germany and Scandinavia. It is now time for new challenges in a new environment. With its creative and talented team, EndemolShine has an unbelievably strong market position and an exceptionally exciting future ahead – I wish Peter all the best.”

     

    The appointment follows CEO of EndemolShine Netherlands, Boudewijn Beusmans’ decision to leave the business. He joined Endemol Shine Group in 2005 and held various positions as Head of Legal Affairs and Business Affairs Officer, Global Head of Legal & Corporate Secretary and Group Commercial Officer. In his role since 2015, he also, in 2018, took on additional responsibilities across the region as Chairman Northern Europe. He remains in post until 30 November 2020 to assist Banijay and Lubbers with the integration of the activities in the region.

  2. Zodiak Belgium Names New MD

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    Zodiak Belgium, a Banijay Group company, today announces the appointment of Isabelle Dams as its new MD. Joining in autumn from SBS Belgium, she will take responsibility for all of the business’ operations, overseeing all production and working closely with the MDs across the footprint worldwide to share and trade IP.

     

    At SBS Belgium, Dams led both Channel 5 as Netmanager and the company’s in-house production company, for which she drove production across the network’s Channels – 4 and 5. She had joined the business in 2010 as Content Manager, having previously been a showrunner, reporter and editor-in-chief on some of the country’s leading shows including Jambers Magazine, De Heren maken de Man and Beautiful en De Nieuwe Mama at De Televisiefabriek, which was eventually acquired by Eyeworks Entertainment.

     

    In her new role at Zodiak Belgium, Dams will report to Banijay Group COO, Peter Langenberg, and is charged with driving the business to new heights via the development and production of original content, with local and global appeal.

     

    Peter Langenberg, COO, Banijay Group comments: “With a combined editorial and commissioning background, Isabelle boasts the perfect credentials to drive the growth of Zodiak Belgium. Familiar with the business’ content and the team, we are confident this will be a seamless transition that will, over the next year, lead to the emergence of a fresh and ambitious slate for the future.”

     

    Isabelle Dams adds: “As a well-established brand in the market, Zodiak Belgium provides such a fantastic opportunity and challenge. Pushing heartfelt, entertaining, fascinating, lighthearted and exciting content every day, it instantly felt like a natural home for me and in a rapidly changing content landscape, I look forward to partnering with the team in driving must-see-content for a broad audience.”

     

    Zodiak Belgium’s current series include daily soap Familie for VTM and real estate titles Huizenjagers and Blind Gekocht for SBS 4. It is also responsible for the local production of global hit format, Survivor (Expeditie Robinson), diplomatic fly-on-the-wall show De Ambassade (The Embassy), and business reality title Leeuwenkuil (Dragon’s Den), for SBS 4, long-running Rijker dan je denkt? (Antiques Roadshow), music show Liefde Voor Muziek (The Best Singers), and police-themed scripted reality series De Buurtpolitie for VTM, and quiz show Les Associés for RTBF.

  3. Zodiak Belgium Triggers Production on GR5 for VRT Eén

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    Zodiak Belgium, a Banijay Group company, today confirms production on new psychological thriller, GR5, for VRT Eén in Belgium, will start tomorrow.

     

    Directed by Jan Matthys (Quiz me Quick, In Vlaamse Velden, The Last Kingdom), the new scripted series will star Boris Van Severen (Over Water, Belgica, De 16), Lucas Van den Eynde (Van Vlees en bloed, Salamander, Met Man en Macht) and Violet Braeckman (Salamander, Over Water), Saïd Boumazoughe (Patser), Laurian Callebaut, Indra Cauwels  Viv Van Dingenen (Witse, Thuis) and Michai Geyzen (Girl, Professor T.).

     

    GR5 revolves around four people in their mid-twenties who embark on the Grote Route Pad 5, to commemorate their friend Lisa who went missing on the path five years before. The journey will change them forever: the heavy physical effort and mutual tensions lead to a confrontation, and a search to uncover the truth behind Lisa’s mysterious disappearance. Did she start a new life?  Was there an accident? Or was she harmed?

     

    With a diary revealing an act of desperation, her friends Zoë, Michiel and Ylena, decide to make the same journey, from the North Sea over the Ardennes, the Vosges and the French Alps to the Riviera. Coming together, the explorers all have different reasons for making the journey, but one common goal unites them – to find Lisa, dead OR alive.

     

    Jan Matthys, Director, comments: “I know from experience that being on a journey can trigger a kind of inner compass. Sooner or later we will be confronted with our inner knot. We are then faced with the choice: do we dare to look at it or walk around it? Do we find the courage to untangle it?”

     

    Serge Bierset, Executive Producer, Zodiak Belgium, comments: “This epic journey of discovery is set to deliver mystery, suspense, drama and shock in equal measures. Set against the contrast of the rough North Sea and picturesque Alps and Riviera, we are focused on delivering a high-quality thriller with global appeal that keeps audiences wanting more.”

     

    Wim Janssen, Content Manager, VRT, comments: “Going on a long-distance hike like GR5 is a perfect metaphor for one of today’s great challenges: finding your own path in life. In GR5, a group of friends starts a journey to commemorate the disappearance five years ago of one of their number. But will they find themselves – or will the dark secrets of their past overtake them?”

     

    GR5 was devised and written by Gert Goovaerts and Lynnsey Peeters (Tom & Harry). The show will be produced by Zodiak Belgium and distributed by Banijay Rights.