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.