Zodiak appoints kids MD in France

Zodiak Media has promoted an executive from its drama division to oversee the company’s French animation firms, following the departure of Télé Images Productions’ president.

Philippe Alessandri is stepping down as boss of the The Ranch producer after 16 years with its parent company Zodiak. Benoît Runel, senior VP of international drama in France, has been named as his replacement.

Runel will take up the newly created role of MD at Zodiak Kids in France and also oversee Marathon Media. Gaspard de Chavagnac had been the Totally Spies producer’s temporary boss since the departure of the prodco’s co-founder David Michel earlier this year.

Runel joined Zodiak to oversee its international coproductions in 2009, having previously worked at Fox Kids France and French broadcaster TF1.

It’s the latest in a string of exec changes at Zodiak companies since Marc-Antoine d’Halluin replaced David Frank as Zodiak CEO last year.

Jean-Philippe Randisi, to whom Runel will report, took up the recently created position of CEO of Zodiak Kids, which also includes UK prodco The Foundation, in the summer. That came after the departure of Zodiak UK Kids boss Nigel Pickard in May.

Animated series recently produced, or currently in production, at Marathon Media and Télé Images include The Ranch, Lolirock, Extreme Football and Get Blake!.