Bauer to hand over UFA to Hofmann

FremantleMedia has promoted Nico Hofmann to co-CEO of German production outfit UFA Group alongside Wolf Bauer, who will hand over the reins completely in 2017.

Nico Hofmann

Hofmann, who will report to FremantleMedia CEO Cecile Frot-Coutaz, will have a place alongside Bauer on the FremantleMedia Operating Board.

The move is part of a two-year transition that will see Hofmann take over as sole CEO in September 2017, allowing Bauer to step back to focus on producing.

The pair will share overall management duties and have dedicated responsibilities for certain operations and units. They will also have joint responsibility for the holding company and involvement with Fremantle’s global production, licensing and sales operations.

“After 25 years of leading UFA to its outstanding market position, Wolf proposed to me a succession plan which made sense for both Wolf and the business and I happily accepted,” said Frot-Coutaz.

“Nico is one of Europe’s most successful and respected drama producers with fantastic leadership skills and strong relationships in the German market. He is perfectly placed to take up this position, working with Wolf, to lead UFA into a new era. I’d like to thank Wolf for his continued commitment to the company and I’m really pleased that he will continue his long association with UFA when he embarks on the next phase of his career.”

In 1998, Bauer and Hofmann set up teamWorx (today UFA Fiction). The company established itself as one of the leading German producers with series such as Generation War and Deutschland 83, which FremantleMedia International recently sold to broadcasters across the world.

“Nico is an exceptionally talented producer and under his leadership teamWorx/UFA Fiction has become the European market leader in drama event TV,” Bauer said. “I can’t think of anyone better to hand over the baton to and I’m really excited to be working with him during this transition period.”

Hofmann added: “I feel honoured to join Wolf as co-CEO having enjoyed a long-standing working relationship with him. I’m really excited about what we will achieve together in the future.”