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

Tag Archive: Frédéric Balmary

  1. Banijay Entertainment Sets Global Scripted Structure

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    Content powerhouse, BanijayEntertainment, today confirms a combined leadership structure for its central scripted division, appointing Steve Matthews Head of Scripted, Creative, and Johannes Jensen Head of Scripted, Business. Reporting to Frédéric Balmary, Chief Business Officer, thepair will work in unison to effectively support and partner with the group’s thriving portfolio of over 60 dedicated labels.

    Collaboratively steering the division, Matthews and Jensen will leverage their complementary expertise to evolve their current roles and ambitiously grow the group’s offering and position in the global scripted market. Balmary will continue to provide overarching direction.

    In his expanded role, Matthews will drive creative vision across Banijay Entertainment’s vast global portfolio. Since joining in 2023, he has played a pivitol role in supporting the scripted community, fueling the storytelling pipeline, and spearheading inititiaves to encourage collaboration across labels worldwide. In addition, he introduced Banijay Bootcamp to connect in-house development executives with emerging writers throughimmersive residencies.

    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 roleextends his remit beyond his position as Head of Scripted, Banijay Nordic. Having also led both Jarowskij and Yellow Bird, now merged as Jarowskij/ Yellow Bird, he has playedan integral role in significantly uplifting scripted slates, with expertise in co-production, navigating complex industry changes, and driving long-term strategic expansion.

    Frédéric Balmary, Chief Business Officer, Banijay Entertainment says: “Our scripted offering continues to go from strength-to-strength with a combined slate of new hits and successful returners scooping high-profile awards and widespread critical acclaim. 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.”

    Steve Matthews, Head of Scripted, Creative, Banijay Entertainment says: “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”

    Johannes Jensen, Head of Scripted, Business, Banijay Entertainment says: “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.”

    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 acclaimed adaptations like SKAM, Fleabag and La Caza. Monterpedido (Rivière–Perdue), in France, and struck numerous deals for best-selling French IP like Franck Thilliez and Michael Bussi.

    Banijay Entertainment’s recent scripted successes 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, NCIS: Sydney, and many more.

  2. Banijay Entertainment Activates Banijay Launch Cycle Two

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    Content powerhouse, Banijay Entertainment, today opens its application process for a second cycle of its award-winning global initiative, Banijay Launch. Designed to exclusively support women creators with promising unscripted formats, the program was first launched at MIPCOM ’23, with winners for its initial cycle announced in March.

    Coinciding with its second run, Banijay Launch is today set to accept this year’s “Behind the Scenes Impact Award” at the Diversify TV Awards (MIPCOM ’24), owing to its contribution to diversity and inclusion within the content community. Those around the world wishing to apply to this year’s initiative, dedicated to discovering and incubating untapped talent from all backgrounds to support the next generation of global franchise makers, can apply here.

    The winner(s) of Banijay Launch will emerge victorious from the three to five finalists in the process who are all mentored by a local creative to develop their formats, with the aim of nurturing them to screen. Supported over several months, the competition culminates with a live pitch presentation before a judging panel. The winner(s) are then given additional guidance and support as they take their ideas out to buyers.

    Sharon Levy, CEO, Endemol Shine North America and James Townley, Chief Content Officer, Development, Banijay Entertainment: “It’s very difficult to nurture and navigate an idea to screen for even the most experienced creators, let alone women creators who don’t have ‘connections’ to a prodco or group. The recent study we conducted with the Geena Davis Institute really reinforced the gender imbalance in unscripted creation, and with Banijay Launch we hope to open the door to women whose ideas may not otherwise be heard and facilitate positive change for these creators while supercharging our pipeline, and the industry’s at-large. The market and creative economy relies on great ideas, and we don’t want to leave any behind… particularly from women.”

    In its first run, Banijay Launch received an extraordinary 500+ applications from 30+ territories and a diversity of backgrounds. With the finalists pitching their ideas in-person to an esteemed jury comprisingEndemol Shine North America CEO, Sharon Levy; Banijay Chief Content Officer, Development, James Townley; Banijay Chief Business Officer, Fred Balmary; Banijay Iberia CEO, Pilar Blasco; and Founder and CEO of Everywoman Studios, Abby Greensfelder, two winners were selected – Amber Kane (Australia), for variety talent concept, Double Act; and Emily Wilson (UK), for psychological dating format, Can’t Buy Love. This year, the judges will be joined by Cathy Payne, CEO, Banijay Rights, and Alexia Laroche-Joubert, CEO, Banijay France.

    The first cycle of Banijay Launch was initiated by Levy, co-led by Townley, and supported by a network of creative ambassadors across Banijay Entertainment who nurtured the finalists in developing their bold new formats from concept to pitch, with the aim of the winning ideas eventually landing on screen. The pair continue to oversee the operation, supported by a new wave of ambassadors dotted across the group’s 23-territory footprint.

    The inaugural Banijay Launch was supported by the commission of a first-of-its-kind study with the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, in partnership with Everywoman Studios. The findings of the ground-breaking study, which highlighted significant gender disparity in unscripted production across Brazil, U.K., U.S., and France, were unveiled in July, with the key findings available here.

    Banijay Launch was inspired by the Propelle program, a female-focused accelerator initiative created and developed in 2020 by Everywoman Studios’ CEO, Abby Greensfelder. At Banijay Entertainment, the initiative capitalises on the infrastructure and expertise of Creative Networks, its central unscripted content department co-led by Townley and Lucas Green, Chief Content Officer, Operations.

  3. Banijay Launch Winners Unveiled

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    Coinciding with International Women’s Day, media and entertainment powerhouse, Banijay, today confirms Amber Kane and Emily Wilson as joint winners of its inaugural Banijay Launch program. Kane, a freelancer from Australia, scooped the prize for her high-octane variety talent concept, Double Act; and Wilson, for her original psychological dating format, Can’t Buy My Love. Selecting two owing to the fierce competition amongst the four finalists, the judges commended both entries as “fantastic ideas with significant international appeal.”

    Designed to exclusively support women creators with promising unscripted formats, Banijay Launch was unveiled at MIPCOM 2023 and received an extraordinary 500+ applications from 30+ territories. Spanning Australia (Amber Kane), UK (Emily Wilson), France (Yasmina Salmandjee), and Denmark (Lisbet Winther), the respective finalists assembled in London on Tuesday 6 March for the grand finale, where they pitched their ideas to an esteemed jury comprising Endemol Shine North America CEO, Sharon Levy; Banijay Chief Content Officer, Development, James Townley; Banijay Chief Business Officer, Fred Balmary; Banijay Iberia CEO, Pilar Blasco; and Founder and CEO of Everywoman Studios, Abby Greensfelder. But there could only be… two winners!

    Kane’s idea was credited by the judges for its brilliant reality elements, highly-clipable offering, and the way in which it taps into the zeitgeist of the “mash-up” in a spectacular way to create a new competition show. Elsewhere, Wilson’s was enjoyed by judges for its twist and turns, strong format pillars, brandable moments, and original “gifting” concept everyone can identify with.

    Sharon Levy, CEO, Endemol Shine North America comments: “Banijay Launch was envisioned as a bridge for women to gain access to our industry, and based on the sheer volume and quality of pitches we received, its time was long overdue. Mirroring the global reach of Banijay, we heard from applicants far and wide, and I hope the result illustrates just how strong the four finalists were. The two fantastic women who share the ‘winner’ title had unbelievably competitive ideas that were well-pitched, original, and highly sellable. The ambassadors and Banijay at-large feel fortunate to continue collaborating with them to bring their amazing concepts to life. We are all so proud to have played a role in opening the door to the next generation of talent, and with the study results from the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media imminent, we hope to keep doing more to foster a wider community of women in non-scripted.”

    Amber Kane says: “I still can’t quite believe it. I had been working on Double Act for six years and it always felt taking it to screen may be impossible given the continued challenges for women in the content industry. However, Banijay Launch truly opened the door for me. Working with the talented Amelia Fisk, I have not only strengthened my idea but also my confidence in pitching, and I look forward to continuing to partner with her, and Banijay’s Creative Networks, in hopefully landing my idea on-screen. I am hugely thankful for the opportunity and feel inspired to keep going with creating great formats for the world to enjoy.”

    Emily Wilson says: “As a huge reality TV fan, it was always my dream to create my very own unscripted format that could transcend audiences across the globe. In Can’t Buy My Love I feel I have crafted an original show that I truly believe has all the elements for success, and with the help of Banijay, and my brilliant mentor Claire O’Donohoe, could tap into the buyer demand for social experiments everywhere. I’m hugely grateful for this life-changing experience and look forward to seeing where this opportunity can take me in a career capacity.”

    Addressing gender equality by discovering and incubating untapped women talent, Banijay Launch was initiated by Levy, co-led by Townley, and supported by the group’s network of creative ambassadors who nurtured the finalists in developing their bold new formats from concept to pitch, with the aim of the winning ideas eventually landing on screen. It was inspired by the Propelle program, a female-focused accelerator initiative created and developed in 2020 by Everywoman Studios’ CEO, Abby Greensfelder. Both Kane and Wilson will now work with their ambassadors and Banijay’s Creative Networks to develop their ideas further, and the group hopes to unveil both ideas fully at launch.

    Coinciding with the program, Banijay Americas announced the commission of a first-of-its-kind study with the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, in partnership with Everywoman Studios. The findings of the ground-breaking study, which investigates women’s inclusion in creative leadership roles in unscripted production across Brazil, U.K., U.S., and France, will be unveiled at an event in Los Angeles in May. Further news will follow in the coming weeks.

  4. Banijay Elevates Frédéric Balmary to Chief Business Officer

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    Content powerhouse Banijay today announces Frédéric Balmary will take on the newly devised role of Chief Business Officer. The move sees him step from Chief of Staff to a more business-oriented strategic position as the global group continues to deliver against its growth ambitions. The news follows the organisation’s recent disclosure of its 2022 results – €3.2bn revenues, €472m EBITDA (+9% on 2022).

    Reporting directly to Banijay’s Chief Executive Officer, Marco Bassetti, Balmary will continue to partner closely with him and the group’s core executive team to steer the business’ long-term strategic plan, broaden innovation and growth opportunities, while remaining a core business development partner to the central scripted team, soon to be led by Christian Wikander.

    Balmary commenced his tenure in 2011 as Banijay’s Group Financial Controller, later growing to Deputy CFO before taking on his latest position, Chief of Staff. Previously he was COO of Banijay Studios International and Banijay Studios France, charged with leading the operations for the scripted production activity in France, while also supporting all international development projects in unison with Banijay Rights. Prior to working for the content powerhouse, he held posts in restructuring at both Ernst & Young and Deloitte.

    Marco Bassetti, CEO, Banijay comments: “In light of our recent and rapid expansion, this key supporting role has never been more vital. As a group, we continue to strive when it comes to innovation and organic growth, and with Frédéric, I have a close partner who can support in further developing our organisation and activities around the world, while also driving best practice across our mounting scripted offering.”

    Frédéric Balmary comments: “Over the course of my ten years with Banijay, the business has gone from strength-to-strength – growing, evolving and cementing a resilient footing in the global content ecosystem. I am proud to be expanding my remit with it and look forward to continuing the work with Marco and our stakeholders on further building on the group’s long-term success trajectory.”