Christian Vesper promoted at Fremantle

European production and distribution giant Fremantle has promoted Christian Vesper to president of global drama.

Christian Vesper

Based in London, Vesper will take on day-to-day management of Fremantle’s global drama team. Reporting to group chief operating officer Andrea Scrosati, who has overall responsibility for the firm’s scripted activities (drama and film), he will work in close partnership with regional drama leads.

Fremantle is behind dramas including Luca Guadagnino’s We Are Who We Are, American Gods and The Salisbury Poisonings – BBC1’s biggest new drama launch for six years.

Vesper has been upped from exec VP and creative director of global drama at RTL-owned Fremantle, which he joined in 2016. He was previously drama chief at Sundance TV in the US, where he oversaw international productions including Jane Campion’s Top of the Lake, Hugo Blick’s The Honourable Woman and Deutschland 83, as well as domestic series Hap & Leonard.

The exec also previously held roles at HBO, entertainment industry start-up iFilm, October Films and USA Film.

With creative oversight across all territories, Vesper and his global drama team will support Fremantle’s international network of scripted labels, which include The Apartment, Wildside, Fremantle North America and Euston Films.

In this capacity, Vesper and his team will continue to support projects such as Picnic at Hanging Rock, which was produced by Fremantle Australia for Foxtel and Amazon; Dublin Murders, produced by Euston for the BBC and Starz; My Brilliant Friend, with Wildside/The Apartment and HBO; and the recently announced Mosquito Coast, which Fremantle North America is making with Apple.

In addition, Vesper and his team will continue to focus on establishing international coproductions, negotiating first-look deals with third-party producers such as Fabula and cultivating talent and talent deals to support development.

Scrosati said: “Christian has helped Fremantle put together a collection of some of the best creatives and producers in the global high-end TV drama space. His passion for challenging the status quo of storytelling, with his unique creative instincts and ability to forge deep relationships, makes him an exceptionally gifted executive.

Vesper added: “I’m proud to have distinguished Fremantle among our competition, to help deliver truly global, critically acclaimed dramas, and for being the place that creatives and producers feel at home knowing they have full creative independence.

“As our global teams move into greater alignment, it’s important for us to present a clear Fremantle drama vision to attract the best ideas and talent from around the world and stand out in this dynamic market.”