ITV Studios hands Beale Nordic role

UK-based ITV Studios (ITVS) has handed responsibility for its Nordic production business to Mike Beale.

Mike Beale

Beale will become MD of Nordics and global creative network at ITVS next month, having been exec VP of global development and formats since 2016.

The exec will continue to lead the global formats strategy of the business, which he joined in 2011 from NBCUniversal International. In 2001 he co-founded 12 Yard Productions, which is now part of ITVS.

Beale’s newly created role will see him oversee ITVS operations in Sweden, Finland and Norway, as well as Denmark-based prodco United. The MDs of each of the Nordic production labels will report to Beale.

His appointment comes after Hans Engholm stepped down from his post as CEO of ITVS Nordic, as revealed by C21 last year. Engholm left the company at the end of 2016 after five-and-a-half years to pursue new opportunities.

“Exploiting our formats around the world is central to our strategy and Mike will continue to spearhead this important business, building on the fantastic growth him and his team have already achieved,” said Maria Kyriacou, president of ITVS International.

“His expertise will also be a vital resource for our brilliant Nordics businesses as they grow in their individual markets and, under Mike’s leadership, work in tandem to make the most of the shared opportunities the region offers.”

Beale added: “I’ve always worked closely with the Nordic market in my international capacity, so it makes creative as well as business sense for me to step up my role in the region.

“Our goal is to work more closely together as a region to use their collective expertise to grow the wider business.”