Banijay France poised for growth

MIPCOM: Banijay Group’s chief operating officer Francois de Brugada has been promoted to CEO of Banijay France in a move that signals the group’s continuing growth ambitions.

The newly created role of CEO at Banijay France gives de Brugada responsibility for all of the production and distribution group’s French operations and future developments.

Its businesses currently include French prodcos Air Productions, Banijay Productions France and H2O, and Canal Sat channel co-venture Non-Stop People.

De Brugada has played a central role in Banijay’s rapidly expanding French operations since its launch in 2008 alongside Stéphane Courbit, the company’s founder and former head of Endemol France, first as exec VP of content and then as COO of Banijay Group.

“We have consolidated our position in multiple territories and France is now a very important part of our business that we want to invest in,” said Marco Bassetti, CEO of Banijay Group.

“Francois’ experience, knowledge and contacts in the French market are second to none and with Francois focusing on this part of our business we will develop even more opportunities for the group as a whole.”

Banijay was recently ranked as France’s top producer, responsible for more than 1,500 hours of new content in 2014.

This included entertainment titles like long-running gameshow Tout le Monde Veut Prendre sa Place, N’Oublier Pas les Paroles (Don’t Forget the Lyrics) and Le Maillon Faible (The Weakest Link).

It was also behind reality show Les Ch’tis, one of French digital terrestrial TV’s most successful original programmes, now in season 11, and popular daily panel show Touche Pas à Mon Poste.