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: Johannes Jensen

  1. The Summit Climbs into Europe

    Comments Off on The Summit Climbs into Europe

    Media and entertainment powerhouse, Banijay, today announces Jarowskij will adapt hit reality competition format The Summit for TV4. This marks the first announced European deal, and the third territory to produce the adventure series. With the title now gaining pace globally, it is set to be showcased at Banijay’s exclusive, invite-only London TV Screenings event, Banijay @ BAFTA on Wednesday 28 February.

    The 9Network and Endemol Shine Australia original series, produced by Endemol Shine Australia, had a hugely successful launch in 2023, doubling its viewership on replay for Nine Network, and a second season was greenlit. Earlier this year, Endemol Shine North America announced the first international adaptation for CBS.

    The returning adrenaline-fueled series follows a group of contestants as they embark on an epic journey through treacherous mountains. Carrying backpacks containing an equal share of the final cash prize, contestants have 14 days to reach “The Summit” of a distant mountain to claim their reward. In a thrilling tale of endurance, survival and greed, morals will be tested, physical limits pushed, and bonds broken.

    Johannes Jensen, interim CEO Jarowskij comments: “The Summit is a great addition to our slate, with its gripping blend of adventure, high-stake competition, suspense, and proven success in Australia. We are confident this adaptation will resonate strongly with audiences in Sweden, offering a thrilling and entertaining viewing experience.”

    Peter Newman, CEO at Endemol Shine Australia says: “With a second season in the works, The Summit continues to travel seamlessly across borders, and is a testament to the format’s universality, adaptability and scalability. It’s been our ambition to create original formats that travel globally, and we are proud to see this IP launch in the US, and now Sweden, with more to come.”

    The Summit will join Jarowskij’s impressive catalogue of scripted and non-scripted titles including recent hit drama, A Nearly Normal Family for Netflix, Solsidan, SAS Who Dares Win and Wild Kids.

  2. Jarowskij Finland Announces New Senior Leadership

    Comments Off on Jarowskij Finland Announces New Senior Leadership

    Banijay Nordics today announces new senior leadership at its scripted label, Jarowskij Finland, with producer Minna Virkajärvi joining to lead the operations. She will report to Endemol Shine Finland’s Managing Director, Unne Sormunen, whose remit has been expanded to include oversight of the entity.

    Virkajärvi will start her new position as Head of Jarowskij Finland in August, joining the label whose credits include the acclaimed series Detective Maria Kallio, from Yellow Film & TV. She most recently produced three seasons of popular long-running crime drama, Roba, for C-More, as well as the upcoming ElisaViihdeViaplay series, Forgive (Kaikki Anteeksi). Virkajärvi is also behind multi-award-winning Yle mini-series, MS Romantic, and feature film comedy, Peruna. In her new role, Virkajärvi will produce and lead day-to-day operations, working closely with the in-house team, producer Suvi Soitinaho, and head writer, Eriikka Etholén-Paju.

    Minna Virkajärvi comments: “Jarowskij Finland has long established itself as a major drama and comedy player, delivering exceptional storytelling which resonates with audiences. The company has a fantastic reputation for nurturing talent and I’m excited to collaborate with the team, especially Suvi and Eriikka, to continue to build the business in Finland and beyond. There is already a strong portfolio in place, and we are poised to make an impact with this next successful chapter.”

    Unne Sormunen comments: “With its fantastic pipeline including hit series Maria Kallio and the recently announced crime drama Murder in Hanko, Jarowskij Finland is clearly committed to creating and producing a high-quality slate of programmes.  I’m very much looking forward to championing the creative ambition of Minna and the rest of the team, further cultivating innovative and evocative programme-making.”

    Meanwhile, CEO and producer, Teea Hyytiä, has decided to step down from her position at the company, which she joined in 2001. She will continue to serve as CEO until the end of August and will continue as producer until the end of November. Among her credits is the recently announced series Murder in Hanko.

    Johannes Jensen, Head of Scripted at Banijay Nordic says: “With Minna leading the label day-to-day, coupled with Unne’s overall business insight, the company is in great hands to deliver on its mission to bring captivating content to Finland and the world. I would sincerely like to thank Teea for the years of dedication, she has played an instrumental role in building Jarowskij’s premium slate of quality productions for the local and international market, and for ensuring a smooth transition to the new leaders. I wish her all the best for her next endeavors.”

    Jarowskij Finland is behind a high-end slate including detective series Detective Maria Kallio and the new crime drama Murder in Hanko. Other credits include five seasons of comedy series Onnela, as well as Jill and Joy, four successful feature films for younger audiences.

    The company is part of Banijay Nordic, home to premium scripted labels across the region including Filmlance (Fallen, Ronja the Robbers Daughter), Yellow Bird (Bäckström), Endemol Shine Finland (Dance Brothers), Rubicon (Salmon Island w/t), and Jarowskij Sweden (Riding Into Darkness)

  3. Jakob Feeney Steps Up to Lead Yellow Bird Sweden

    Comments Off on Jakob Feeney Steps Up to Lead Yellow Bird Sweden

    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.

  4. Banijay Nordic Appoints New CEO at Rubicon

    Comments Off on Banijay Nordic Appoints New CEO at Rubicon

    Banijay Nordic today announces a new senior appointment at Norwegian scripted label Rubicon, with Håkon Briseid taking up the role of Chief Executive Officer.

     

    Håkon Briseid joins Rubicon from Norway’s Monster, where he has held responsibility for the company’s scripted division for over a decade. During his time at Monster, Briseid has executive produced numerous hit dramas including The Half Brother, Nobel, Borderliner, Young&Promising, Pørni and upcoming Furia.

    In his position at Rubicon, Håkon Briseid will report to Banijay Nordic’s CEO, Jacob Houlind, and the region’s Head of Scripted, Johannes Jensen. With a remit to further grow Rubicon’s output, he will work with creative leaders, Anne Bjørnstad and Eilif Skodvin, on building the company’s line-up of critically-acclaimed, original content for both the Norwegian and international market. Briseid will take up the position early in 2022.

    One of Norway’s leading drama production companies, Rubicon, is behind a slate of freshly created scripted productions, including Beforeigners, which is available across HBO Europe territories, and via HBO Max in the U.S. Season two will launch later this year with Paul Kaye (Game of Thrones), Ann Akin (I May Destroy You), Jade Anouka (Cleaning Up), Billy Postlethwaite (Chenobyl), and Philip Rosch (The King) joining the cast.

    Other credits include coming-of-age story Nach for Discovery Nordic, distributed by Banijay Rights, and a soon to be announced project for NRK. Eilif Skodvin and Anne Bjørnstad are also behing global success Lillyhammer, and The Councilman, which was also adapted for the Dutch market.

    Håkon Briseid comments: “Sixteen years at Monster speaks for itself. It has been a fantastic ride and I am extremely proud of my colleagues and the upcoming slate. This is an opportunity I could not let go, as I have long-admired Rubicon’s slate of scripted series which shines a light on topics in the the local and international zeitgeist. Eilif and Anne have a distinctive voice, often with a satirical twist, allowing the audience to connect with characters in a unique way. I look forward to working with them and the rest of the talented team at Rubicon, as well as joining the unrivalled community of scripted producers at Banijay.”

    Anne Bjørnstad and Eilif Skodvin, Creative Directors at Rubicon comment: “We’re delighted Håkon has decided to join Rubicon as our CEO. He has a deep understanding of the local and global market, and it’s brilliant to have a well-respected leader team up with us, especially with a second season of Beforeigners on the horizon, and as we enter the next phase of creating new projects for our eclectic slate.”

     

    Jacob Houlind, CEO at Banijay Nordic says: “Nordic scripted content continues to take the world by storm, and we are incredibly proud of Rubicon’s productions. This appointment cements the company’s position as an industry trailbrazer.”

     

    Johannes Jensen, Group Head of Scripted Banijay Nordic adds: “Håkon Briseid is a proven scripted leader and the ideal person to join Eilif and Anne as they continue to create premium, original programming for Norway and beyond.”

     

    Banijay Nordic encompasses the region’s very best scripted labels, behind internationally-recognised drama and comedy. Joining Rubicon’s Beforeigners (HBO) and Nach (Discovery Nordic), are forthcoming credits such as Vinterviken/ JJ & E (Filmlance for Netflix and SVT), Ronja (Filmlance for Viaplay),  A Class Apart (Jarowskij in co-production with Brommamamma, Film I Väst and Nent Group for Viaplay), Snow Angels (Yellow Bird for SVT), Young Wallander 2 and Spotify Untold (Yellow Bird UK for Netflix) and Detective Marie Kallio (Banijay Finland for CMore).