Thom Beers, the US reality TV production veteran behind hits like Deadliest Catch and Storage Wars, is stepping down as CEO of FremantleMedia North America.

Beers has been at the helm of the US arm of FremantleMedia since 2012 ^[1] after the company bought his indie Original Productions in 2009.

He will leave the role, which includes oversight of FremantleMedia’s US prodcos Original and 495 Productions and more than 600 hours of new content a year, including American Idol and Family Feud, when his contract expires in June.

Beers will be replaced by Jennifer Mullin, executive VP of current programming, and Craig Cegielski, executive VP of scripted programming, who are both being promoted to co-CEO.

Beers’ stint in charge saw the prodco broaden its output considerably. It moved into drama, partnering ^[2] with A+E Studios on a US version of The Returned for A&E Network.

Later this summer, the company will launch its first channel, Buzzr, airing content from its 40,000-hour library of gameshows. Beers recently hired industry veteran ^[3] Ron Garfield as the channel’s executive VP and general manager ahead of a June debut.

Beers founded Original in 1997 and built his reputation on series like Deadliest Catch, Ice Road Truckers and Black Gold. He’d previously spent 11 years as a production executive and series and specials producer for Turner Broadcasting and Paramount Pictures. He is a well-known, out-spoken face on the unscripted television event circuit.

Mullin and Cegielski will report to FremantleMedia CEO Cecile Frot-Coutaz.